Love's in the Water
by iheartShules
Summary: Love can happen in a blink of an eye. ::CAREESE ALL THE TIME:: I apologize for the lame summary but nothing came to mind LOL. This story is going to be sexy, fun, with a hint of intrigue. And it's most definitely AU. Perfect for summer! Rated M for reasons ;D
1. Prologue: Whirlwind

**_AN: Hi guys! I wasn't going to begin posting this for another week or so but I wanted to spam you guys with some Careese :) This new story is an A/U for multiple reasons but you'll see as you read on. And as always this is full on Careese. This story is going to be sexy, fun...maybe with a smidge of humor, and a dab of intrigue. Something perfect the summer.  
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 ** _I dedicate this entire story to my friend Elaine! Thank you for everything and for listening to me whine about the show, about proofing my things, and giving me encouragement when I need it! I appreciate it all and appreciate your friendship you have given me XOX!_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I own nothing. I just love John Reese and Joss Carter.  
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* * *

 _March 2011_

Joss rushed into _The Bean_. She was running late but needed her morning cup of Joe. She couldn't believe she almost slept in this morning. But she had gone to bed late thanks to that damn book that her friend and partner, Felicia Moreno, told her about. It was on the Best-Selling List which usually she found to be not of her taste but Felicia swore by this book. Joss reluctantly bought a copy and started it just after dinner and finally went to bed at nearly three in the morning because she had gotten so caught up in the novel. She had hung onto every word of the well written romance thriller. The author had woven a tale that left her spellbound, unable to put it down. Last night she become uncomfortably aroused during the erotic love scenes, reminding her just how long ago she had any man between her legs. Sex ended long before her marriage did and she had gone out with a handful of men since, but none she got naked with. The guys were far more into her than she was into them.

Joss sighed as she blinked a few times trying to work the stubborn sleepiness that resided gone. She stood in a lengthy line of the trendy and hipster coffee-shop which was the price everyone had to pay as _The Bean_ had amazing coffee. As she stood waiting, an intoxicating scent of someone's cologne wrapped around her that mixed with the fresh brewed coffee aroma making her weak in the knees. Joss inhaled deeply: the cologne was spicy and profoundly masculine.

She looked at the man ahead of her. He was tall at least six feet or more and the pleasurable scent was coming off him. The tall man had a soft sweet V spot, making her fingers itch at once to touch the spot to see if the hair was as soft as it appeared. From the back view it appeared his dark hair was incredibly short, nearly military short but with a hint of rebelliousness. He was wearing a black wool long coat to combat the yet cool March air. He shifted in impatience.

"Long wait," she murmured, taking in another sweet inhalation of his cologne. It was like chocolate to her nose.

The man in front of her turned around and Joss nearly did a double take at him. This guy was simply gorgeous. Joss stared up into his deep set blue eyes that made her think of a clear sky or beautiful aquamarine gemstones but with more blue than green tones. They were framed with dark, long lashes that made her swear she could hear them swoosh as he blinked. Joss continued her embarrassing staring fest as she continued down to those cheekbones—good lord those were things of beauty. Sharp and high to go along with his strong jaw that was stubble roughened, like he forgot to shave this morning, to his lips that looked impossibly soft, softer than a rose petal, and warm. She shook herself as that thought crept into her mind. _Softer than a rose petal_?—Joss! Get a grip, that damn romance book you're reading is filling your brain with bad similes. His hair was sporting gray at the temples that just added to his allure. He was utterly handsome, virile, and distinguished. This man had sex appeal in spades and she couldn't help but stare to her heart's content.

"Yea, pretty soon I'll be running late," he agreed.

Joss wanted to close her eyes. He had a soft voice, a very masculine rumble. It was the type of voice you'd want on the other end for phone sex. Not only was this guy extremely easy to look at to go along with the fact that he smelled divine, but he also had an orgasmic voice. Her eyes flew down to his left hand and found no ring, not even a hint of a tan line around one from the summer past. No way was this guy available. There just was no way, this man had to be in a relationship or gay, and she didn't like either option.

"Me too." she responded. "Do you come here often?"

The man smiled revealing perfect white teeth and Joss felt her heart skip a beat at that gorgeous grin. "Are you trying to get an honest answer or is that your best pickup line?" he asked.

Joss returned the smile. "It's a bit of both," she answered. "But I have better pickup lines in my repertoire," she said as she flirted gently. God, this guy was hot with a capital H.

"I hope so."

She chuckled, enjoying herself. "I'm Joss by the way," she introduced herself.

Joss hadn't felt this sort of a vibe in a very long time. Okay, she could scratch gay off her short list of worries. There was no way in hell this type of insane attraction struck one person, so he felt it too. It was like their eyes were drawn towards one another's and it was not just because this man had the most beautiful eyes ever: they were piercing, heart-stopping blue, and utterly riveting. She couldn't drop his gaze if an earthquake suddenly shook the ground.

"I'm John," he murmured softly. John, it suited him, classic and masculine.

"Line's moving," a guy behind her gruffly told them, jostling them out of the spell that bound them. She welcomed the reprieve, John's eyes were so intense. He turned and moved up and so did she.

John turned back around. "I like their coffee but I don't like their lines," he murmured, finding he wanted to continue talking to the gorgeous and flirty woman some more. When he had turned around to see who spoke to him, he hadn't expected to feel an immediate attraction for the woman the voice belonged to.

This woman, 'Joss' as she introduced, had light makeup on but she didn't need much. She was drop dead gorgeous, the kind of beauty that have been depicted in myths since time begun. He'd seen beautiful women before but this woman's spoke to him which left him a little disconcerted. She had large brown eyes, full lips that looked perfect to kiss and an enticing smile. She was short in stature, possibly five foot four or so, having to upturn her face to him, made him think of how her petite frame would fit against his. Her dark caramel skin looked soft to the touch like silk, making him shake his head free of the thoughts sinking into his mind. Dark thoughts of having her under him naked and crying out his name filled his mind making him groan inwardly as it's been a very long time since he had a woman beneath him. He inhaled the sweet aroma coming from her, wondering what scent she was wearing.

Joss nodded. "It's why I try to avoid them but their coffee keeps me coming back for punishment," she admitted. And if she knew this man would be at _The Bean_ she'd make it a daily occurrence at coming here. She'd put up long lines and rude people just to see him again.

"NEXT!" a woman called out.

John turned realizing the barista was calling for him; he turned to look back at the pretty woman. "You go ahead," he said, motioning for her to go ahead of him.

"Are you sure?" Joss asked hesitantly.

"Yea,"

She smiled as she said, "Thanks," before she stepped around him. Her scent filled his nose and he closed his eyes briefly savoring it before opening them to let his gaze drift down her petite body taking in the way her dark long wool coat accentuated her trim figure as she stepped up to the counter to order. He listened to her order two cups of coffee. She had a pretty voice to go along with her sexy features and voluptuous body that caused a stirring of male interest in him.

John was unsettled by the pull he felt towards this woman. He desired solitude; the woman he loved was in the ground. It was hard enough to get up every-day, not turn to the bottle of Jack, and learn to accept the fact that she was gone.

He patiently waited in line, contemplating, before the sexy black woman turned facing him fully again, a dazzling smile in place that left him a little breathless and annoyed that he was, and handing him a coffee.

"I figured you weren't the type into the lattes or anything fancy," Joss admitted as the barista shouted 'NEXT' once more.

John eyed her as he stepped out of line to let the man that was in a hurry go order. How the hell did she figure that out in one conversation with him?—it intrigued him, she interested him. He took the offered large cup slowly. Their fingers brushed and the spark her touch induced left him shaken. He didn't like the heat that suffused his body so he quickly stopped touching her, cleared his throat, and ignored the heightened awareness of just how beautiful this woman was.

"I'm not," he agreed, hastily recovering from his ill-advised reaction. He liked his coffee black or at times with a little milk.

"Neither am I really, I drink them here and there, but they aren't as satisfying as just good ole' coffee. I got you like I got mine with one cream, no sugar, hope it is okay," Joss murmured.

"It's fine." John mumbled quietly as they walked to the exit and he opened the door for her. As they walked the busy sidewalk together he reached into his back pocket to dig out his wallet to pay for the coffee. _The Bean_ had great coffee but for a price.

Joss waved him off. "I don't want your money, or would your wife not like it if I bought you a coffee?" she asked coyly.

"I'm not married."

Joss pounced. "Girlfriend?"

"No," he admitted.

"Single then," she pushed, just wanting to make sure. She grinned as he looked a little unsure of himself as he nodded his head at her statement. She nearly danced at the fact that he was single, men like John would not stay on the market long. "Then let's just say you owe me a coffee sometime," she said with a flirty smile.

John eyed her. He didn't like owing anyone anything which included something so mundane as coffee. "I might never see you again." In fact that was a guarantee, he was leaving New York next week. He was only in New York for two weeks.

She stopped in front of him as she held out her coffee and he furrowed his brows as he took it from her at her silent command. She tugged out a pen out of a pocket and reached for his. He watched as she scribbled something on his cup before motioning for her cup back.

"Call me and we'll have coffee sometime when we both aren't running late," she suggested.

John eyed his cup and saw her phone number printed large and femininely on it before looking into her eyes. She turned after a moment, finally breaking their eye contact, and began walking away leaving him to watch her and wonder.

* * *

Joss was nervous as she stood in her bra and panties glaring at her closet. Finally her coffee-shop John, as she liked to think of him, called her after a week. He had been so cute, stuttering as he tried to ask her to coffee, that she almost just cut him off with saying yes, anytime, anyplace she'd have coffee with him. But she didn't because she didn't want to sound desperate to see him again, even if she was. John had surprised her when he asked if she wouldn't mind it being in the evening and she didn't. She didn't care if it was in the wee morning hours as long as it happened.

She raced through her closet feeling flustered and glanced at her cell phone debating on calling Felicia for advice. God, she was pathetic, she would never hear the end of the ribbing from Felicia if she called for advice on what to wear…to a coffee-date! But she was that nervous. She wanted to make a good first impression. She didn't want to overdress that screamed 'trying too hard' but underdress that she didn't get a real date out of him. And she wanted a real date with John.

Joss flip-flopped back and forth as she thought about it and ultimately settled on tight light blue skinny jeans that were dressy but yet simple, before pairing it with a nice long-sleeve purple tunic with a plunging neckline that gave a hint of cleavage but didn't allow her breasts to hang out. She added a dainty gold necklace with gold hoop earrings before rushing to the bathroom to slide a comb through her hair. She immediately did her makeup, applied her lipstick and smiled. She looked good if she said so herself.

Joss hurried back to her closet and grabbed her favorite pair of ankle leather boots before sitting on the edge of her bed to tug them on, once she was happy with her ensemble she turned and raced out of her bedroom and took her steps two at a time. She tried to ignore the nervous butterflies fluttering around in her stomach as she tugged her jacket on before locking up her place. Not any of her previous dates had the power to make her this nervous and this was just for damn coffee. She climbed into her car and tried to tell herself to chill out.

It didn't take her long to arrive at _The Bean_ as it was a ten minute drive from her place and she glanced at her watch and frowned. She was here way too damn early. She was hopeless. Well she could enter and wait for him. John would never know she was this early. Joss exited her car and hurried into the busy _The Bean_ even now in the evening and stopped short when she saw him seated at a small table. His eyes found hers and he smiled.

Joss smiled in return as she walked towards him and watched as he stood up to pull her chair out. She liked it, John was very much a gentleman. "You're as early as I am," she commented.

"Left a little too early," he admitted.

She tugged her jacket off, hanging it on the back of her chair before sitting down across from him, eyes on his. It was still there, that vibe between them, and it was just as overwhelming now as it had been a week ago. "Me too," she said softly. "I'll confess I am a bit nervous."

"Me too, what would you like?" he asked.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm going to go order us our coffees but I want to know what you would like," John answered.

"Oh, right, of course. Just a large coffee with one cream, no sugar," she said.

He smiled softly as he got up and Joss groaned inwardly as she got an eyeful of his butt, his extremely nice butt. Her eyes drifted over him appreciatively as he stood in line for their coffees. John was dressed in dress pants and a lavender dress shirt (that he looked amazing in) tucked into pants showing off an athletic body. John was tall, lean with strong hips, and all man. There was not an ounce of spare flesh on him, no middle age sag happening.

She would put John in his early to mid-forties, which was perfect. Joss had just turned 39 two weeks ago, her birthday was March 7th, and she was still alone since her failed marriage. And while Joss was comfortable being alone she wanted someone to share her time with. She had gone out with a couple guys but none of them did anything for her. Maybe John might be that someone, if he was more than just looks. She needed him to stimulate her brain as much as he did her body. And John stimulated her body without a problem. Seeing him that once in the coffee-shop fueled her fantasies; at first she tried to blame the erotic romance thriller she had been reading, where she plopped her and John into the hero and heroine roles. The love scenes had been intense and she figured her natural imagination had added John and herself into those. But the fantasies continued well after she finished the book, especially once in particular that had her waking drenched in sweat and aroused to the point of needing relief. She had taken the matter in her own hands. Joss shook herself free of the filthy thoughts that tried to grab a hold of her mind as she felt an uncomfortable tingle forming between her legs as she eyed John nearly unblinkingly.

Joss watched him as he was approaching her with coffees in hand. His hair was soft, without any hairspray to speak of, and it was short but long enough to slip your fingers through. He had a cowlick standing tall and proud and would never be tamed, thank god. Even his fingers were sexy as they were long and tapered as he carried the coffees. He bent and placed her coffee in front of her and she was wrapped in his cologne once more and she took a healthy inhalation and sighed. John smelled delicious.

He sat down, nervous. Joss had been watching him as he walked over with their coffees and he nearly faltered as surely someone as beautiful as Joss shouldn't be seated with him. But she was. And she was about as nervous as he was.

"So, Joss, what is it that you do?" he asked after a moment.

She nearly moaned out loud at the way her name rolled off his tongue. "I'm a homicide detective," she answered which seemed to surprise him. "Not what you were expecting, huh?"

"No," he agreed.

"What did you think I did John?" she asked as she slowly took a sip of the hot coffee.

He shrugged. "Honestly, I thought you were a lawyer." he admitted. She had been assertive and persuasive when she got him to agree to let her buy him coffee. But it shouldn't surprise him though that she was a detective; Joss had a keen observation as she had known he wasn't a fancy coffee drinking kind of guy. His eyes slid over her, taking in her small petite frame in that flattering low V-neck blouse, she definitely kept in shape too.

John looked away as he felt heat creep up his neck as he stared at her chest for far too long to be polite. She smiled, noticing the blush on his cheeks, and loved it. John was on the shy side which was intriguing since the man was the very definition of walking sex.

"Well had my life not taken a detour, I would have been." Joss admitted, refraining from commenting on his cute blush.

John nodded, interested. "You studied to be a lawyer?" he asked, she was fascinating.

"Passed the bar exam but it just wasn't my calling. I enrolled in the police academy and loved it, worked my ass off to get where I am today. I love being a cop; trying to help people, that sort of thing," she explained. She had been ready to ask him what it was that he did for a living but her curiosity was killing her as she eyed him. "John, I have to ask: are you former military?" she asked. It was the way he was sitting, the way his eyes scanned the room, his body was angled for the door as if watching for a threat.

John cocked his head to the side and smiled which took her breath away. She felt like her heart stopped at the sheer beauty of it. "I am. How did you know that, Joss?"

She chuckled. "Well, call it a hunch with the way you are sitting, angled for the door. You view the world like I do through war seen glasses. I'm former military myself," she said with a small motion at herself. "I was Warrant Officer before becoming a Human Intelligence Collector and a top interrogator."

"Which, being a top interrogator, would have made you an extremely good lawyer had you not gotten bitten by the police bug," John said faintly. His eyes slid over her. This woman was intelligent and beautiful along with the fact that she shared a lot of things in common with him.

"I served four tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. What about you?" she asked. So far John was exceeding all her expectations already and the coffee-date basically just started because not only was he good looking and he was intelligent AND he was former military like her. He was so interesting that she felt attracted to not only his body but his mind as well.

"Two long, four short. I enlisted at eighteen, started off as Army Ranger before rising up to Sergeant First Class and Second Battalion. I was at that rank for a while before I was selected to join Special Forces," he recited as he took a sip of his coffee.

"So you were a Green Beret," she murmured.

He smiled. "Yea, for a long time," he agreed, unassumingly.

"When did you quit the military?" she asked. This man sounded and looked career military, still sporting the short haircut, except that it was a hint longer than what they would have wanted, and made her wonder why he wasn't still military.

"I actually was about to get out before the towers came down but when 9/11 happened I knew my country still needed me." he said quietly. John often wondered what his life would have been like had he not re-upped after the towers came down. Would he be married to Jessica, have a family?

"I knew a lot of guys that reenlisted for the same reason. So when did you finally decide to call it quits?"

He took a sip of his coffee before answering. An ache was beginning to form as he recalled the end of his military career and finding out he had come too late for Jessica. "January of this year," he supplied softly, looking down at his cup as if it was suddenly interesting.

Joss eyed him abruptly. She saw some sort of emotion floating in his pretty blue eyes and she wasn't quite sure what it was. Was it sorrow because he left the military? "That's a long time." she admitted.

He shrugged as he looked up and his expressive eyes were veiled. "My country needed me," John said simply, almost robotic like that was the answer he always used even to himself.

She nodded she knew how this man felt. She loved being in the army until it was taken from her. But something about what he said struck her. She had dealt with several CIA agents in her hay-day on the other side during interrogations and more than a little surprised they didn't come knocking on this man's door.

"I'm shocked Langley didn't show up on your door with you being in Special Forces and all," she admitted. She knew most CIA agents were recruited from Special Forces because of the strict and difficult training they went through to prepare them for the Ops they would endure. She had no doubt that this man saw things and did things that she couldn't even imagine.

John smiled. "They did but I told them no. I felt like I could do more good in Special Forces, especially when they promoted me as Weapons Analyst to teach friendly allies and recruits behind enemy lines," he said with a shrug.

"So what ultimately made your decision to leave the military?—sounds like you enjoyed the Army,"she asked, so curious about this man.

"I did enjoy being in the Army. Sometimes it was taxing on you emotionally and physically but I wouldn't change a thing about it. I learned a lot of useful skills from the Army and learned a lot about myself too. But there comes a point in your life that if you stay a soldier any longer that's all you know how to do. There was a woman I wanted to get back too, a life I wanted to live outside of serving my country," he admitted. He couldn't believe he was opening up and talking to Joss more then he talked to anyone about himself.

"What happened with the girl?" Joss asked, wondering if this man had been married just like she had been and it turned to crap after he got back. It would be just one more thing they had in common.

"She was murdered," he said instead.

She gasped. "Oh my god, John, I am so sorry," she said immediately. She hadn't been expecting that at all.

He swallowed hard. Bringing up Jessica brought up bad memories. It was still fresh and had the power to wound him. John shrugged. "You didn't know."

"Did they catch the son of a bitch that killed her?"

John nodded slightly. "Yea, it was her husband."

"Oh," she said unable to hide her surprise.

"If you're thinking I was having an affair with a married woman I wasn't. Jessica and I were long over before she met and married Peter. And even though I ended our relationship I still loved her but it just wasn't fair to make her wait for me. A life with me, a soldier, wasn't the kind of life for Jessica; she deserved a man who could take care of her every-day, not one across the world from her. She used to hate when I'd be away at base for two weeks, so I knew when I reenlisted and was going to be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan that she wouldn't be able to handle it," he said before sipping his coffee.

Joss nodded. "Some people are built to handle the long absences and what-ifs while others are not. You did what you thought best, John," she said softly, seeing a measure of guilt residing on his face. Joss didn't know this man well— _yet, she was going to change that fact as soon as possible_ , her mind added. But what Joss did know was her instincts, which she trusted in implicitly as they never failed her and her instincts on John were that he was a good man who fought for his country with every ounce of his being, sacrificing everything for it.

John felt vaguely wary of the sharp and unblinking gaze he was receiving from Joss. It was as if she was analyzing him, using her keen detective's eye on him. He wasn't sure what she was scrutinizing him to find out about but he shifted a little.

"What happened to the husband?" she asked after a moment.

"In prison currently until his trial, he's up for second-degree murder, Peter accidentally killed her in a fit of rage but he tried to cover it up with making it appear like she died in a car accident. The investigators of New Rochelle saw some inconsistencies after her autopsy report was released. Jessica had a lot of previous injuries consistent with domestic abuse and she died of blunt force trauma to the head that didn't quite fit a head-on car collision with a tree that he was trying to sell," he recited the details of the case. Luckily Peter had already been in prison with bail set extremely high when he got back to New York or he would have killed him.

"He killed her, panicked and tried to cover it up," Joss said succinctly.

"Pretty much, I arrived back from my last tour mid-January and it was too late, she had already been murdered. She had sent me a letter telling me she needed me and I couldn't get there in time."

Joss shook her head. That was a rotten thing to do if you asked her. Write a letter to your ex, even if you were in love with him, who was in the Army and deployed, to ask him to come for you. If she needed help or was scared of Peter, she should had contacted someone in this country or gone to the police. Or one of those many groups that helped domestic abuse victims. Someone would have helped her. Seemed to her that Jessica just wanted John to drop everything and come to swoop in to save her (when she could have saved herself) and they could ride out into the sunset. In the end she was murdered and now John was left with the guilt of being unable to get to her in time. Of course, she couldn't and wouldn't say this to John, not this early she kind of wanted date number two.

"I'm sorry, John," she said finally.

He nodded. "What about you, why did you leave the army?" he asked gently steering the conversation away from him. He had no idea why he told her all that he just did. Jessica was a topic of conversation he generally did not go to.

"I was medically discharged after this Marine escorting me in Fallujah stepped on a land mine. We heard this click and that was it, guy was dust before my eyes. I was lucky since he was standing in front of me, he shielded me. I did get my innards kind of mangled up. Was in the hospital for months, was shipped home and took care of my baby." she said softly, leaving off the fact that she cried nightly for nearly a year over the death of the Marine.

"Baby?" he asked.

She smiled. "My greatest accomplishment and my pride and joy: my son."

He smiled in return. "You have a son."

"Yea, he's fourteen going on fifteen now, not a baby anymore but he's my baby. His name is Taylor," she said, happy to gush on her boy, before tugging out her cell phone to show him a picture of her and her son. She held it out for him.

"Looks like you," he murmured.

"Yea, I think so too. My _ex_ -husband used to think Taylor looked more like him," she said, making perfectly clear he knew she was completely single, willing, and available.

This had to be the best date she ever had and it was only for coffee! Most times they were awkward and boring but with John it was filled with interesting and honest conversation. It helped they had a lot of things in common and the attraction between them was magnetic, definitely drawing them towards each other. She hadn't ever told any of her previous guys she dated, which she could count on one hand, about her son as she hadn't been sure if she wanted them to meet Taylor or not. But she damn well knew she wanted her boy to meet this man eventually.

He leaned back and she re-pocketed her phone. "He looks like a good kid," John murmured.

"He is. He has mostly decent friends and decent grades, but my boy is pure gold. Taylor is the best—not that I'm biased or anything," she said cheekily.

John laughed softly. "I'm sure most mothers are biased over their children," he said. He was curious about the way she spoke about her ex. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course you can, John." she said. How else were they supposed to get to know one another if they didn't ask questions. She knew she had about a gazillion questions for him.

"You mentioned your ex but the way you said it makes it sound like he's…"

"Dead," she provided when he hesitated to find the right word. He nodded and she shrugged before saying; "that's because he is," she answered.

"What happened?"

"Paul was military too, but he saw more combat than I did and he suffered from PTSD, allowed it to change him."

"I'm sorry. Buddies of mine had PTSD too. It's another kind of animal," he said softly, in compassion. Some of his team members suffered from it and John found himself lucky that he was so good at detaching himself from what he saw and did, learning how to compartmentalize things.

Joss nodded. "It is. It got really bad where I was scared for the well-being of my son and me, so I removed us from that situation by filing for separation, trying to spur Paul into seeking help. It didn't work," she said sadly. "Divorce followed and Paul quickly spun out of control. He was a good man but was just too damn proud to ask for help from me, from the VA, from anyone. He killed himself three years ago."

"I'm so sorry Joss," he murmured as she looked sad and like she was to blame for it. "It wasn't your fault."

She looked up and stared into his eyes, giving him a half smile. "I know and I wouldn't change what I did for my son's sake and mine too, but sometimes I wonder if I tried hard enough to try to reach him."

"Sometimes you can try your best and it's not enough. And what ifs can kill you," he admitted, speaking from experience. He thought about a lot of what-ifs with Jessica, as he slowly looked at his watch and was astonished at how late it was. Time flew by.

Her eyes tracked his and saw his surprised look. She followed suit looking at her own watch and was surprised too at the time, seeing they had been drinking coffee and talking for over an hour, it was close to eight o'clock. "Wow, it's that late," she said and now she understood the rumbling of her stomach. She was starving, having figured she'd go on this coffee-date then head off to get some food. Joss had not anticipated on being there for almost two hours, having figured it would be a half hour to forty-five minutes long. But even knowing it was coming to a close she didn't want it to end.

"Yea, I didn't realize the time," he mumbled as he slowly got to his feet.

Joss wistfully stood too. "Neither did I." She watched as he tugged on his coat and proceeded to do the same. They grabbed their long empty cups and flung them in the trash before heading out and she smiled as John opened the door for her. Such a gentleman as he walked her to her car which wasn't parked far from the entrance.

She paused beside her car as she turned to face John, leaning her head back to stare up into his beautiful face. He was smiling gently down at her. "I had a nice time, Joss," he honestly said.

"Me too, John," she reciprocated as she stared at him, feeling like she was locked in some crazy staring contest again. "Would you like to have dinner with me?—I'm hungry and we could order to go and eat at my place," she asked softly, wanting to extend the time she spent with this man.

John hesitated. "I would like to—"

"But," she supplied for him and when he didn't answer, she frowned. "Am I being too up front about asking you back to my place?" she wondered. Joss normally didn't ask men she barely knew back to her place, but for some reason, with John, he was an exception to the rule. She felt like she knew him, which was crazy since she didn't even know his last name or what he did for a living. But for some reason she knew deep inside her that he'd never hurt her. Joss glanced into his eyes, seeing he wasn't put off in the slightest. "Well I know for damn sure I'm not the only one that feels this intense attraction," she grinned. He would have an easier time convincing her pigs could fly or vampires were real before she believed him that he wasn't attracted to her. She recognized the looks he gave her which gave her a shiver of desire. She hadn't had a man look at her like that in a very long time.

"You're not. I am attracted to you Joss. You're beautiful, intelligent, funny, and interesting, everything a man could ask for in a woman."

"So what's wrong?" Joss asked genuinely puzzled.

He rubbed a hand through his hair. "If we have dinner at your place we'll end up in bed together," he blurted out.

"Oh,"

He couldn't blame her for her shock over his bluntness but he hadn't had sex in a year with being in Iraq, then learning of Jessica's death. The last woman he slept with knew the score that he only wanted a warm vagina for meaningless sex. And he wasn't lying about being attracted to Joss which was why he had been trying to delay asking her to coffee until the night before he left.

Joss felt her body respond to his words and wanted to ask what was wrong with that idea. God, what was she doing?—this wasn't her, she didn't contemplate having sex with a man she just met! Paul, it had taken nearly a month into their relationship before she got naked with him. And before Paul had been her high-school boyfriend who took her virginity and it took nearly six months of being together before she decided to give him it. Those were her only two relationships of any kind. She thought Cal Beecher was her one and only before they went their separate ways after high-school. Cal went to UCLA while she joined the army. Long distance relationships rarely worked and they weren't one of the lucky few that did. She and Cal ended their relationship when it was clear they were going in opposite directions. And then she met Paul, dated him for over a year before she got engaged and married to him, had a child with him and thought he was her soul mate until combat changed him into someone else completely. She never believed she would end up divorced and her ex-husband dead because he committed suicide. And she certainly never believed she would consider sex on the first date, but she had a feeling one night with John would blow away any encounter she ever had before.

Joss stood there staring at John for several moments before speaking. "I know this great Thai place just around the corner…."

* * *

If she had figured they'd end up in bed before eating dinner she would have been wrong. Because the atmosphere between them was thick and heady, but both of them were truly hungry and food came first. As did more conversation. But getting John to talk about himself was like trying to extract teeth; it just didn't want to come out. All her questions were met with one word answers or less, some he had outright ignored. Stubborn man! But it just intrigued and interested her more. Joss enjoyed a challenge and John was that and more.

She did most of the talking which was okay because she hid the fact that she was nervous with chatter. Joss told him about how she enjoyed being a detective even though at times she felt like she didn't do enough, which was met with opposition. John wasn't a man who shied away from confrontation both physical, when he was in the Army, and verbal because he had argued with her that what she did was more than what others did. She liked that he had his own mind and was willing to share it, regardless if she liked it or not.

She told him more about her son, about her friends and her family. He was interested in the photos on her mantle and asked for explanations of when those pictures were taken. Joss didn't realize until the food dwindled to nothing but empty containers and the wine glasses were nearly drained that she did all the talking and still he fascinated her so. She wanted to burrow inside him, get under his skin as much as he did to her and find out all his secrets, make him trust in her, and…well, she better not finish that line of thought. Because if she continued it, it would make her wonder how far gone she was for this guy already.

John set his wine glass down as he sat on her couch, looking at her with those thoughtful eyes of his and she felt her pulse begin to race. "You're nervous again, Joss," he commented, reading her like a book.

"A bit," she agreed, feeling stupid all of a sudden, because she had asked him back to her place for dinner even knowing what could happen, wanting it, and yet scared it would; scared because she knew intuitively that one night with John would change the rest of her life.

"Why?"

"I'm not entirely sure," she lied.

"Are you sure you don't know?"

"No…yes," she muttered and narrowed her eyes on the slow male smile filling his handsome face. "I meant yes!" she exclaimed with a bit more force than necessary.

"Sure you did."

"I did!" she insisted and then clenched her teeth together when she realized she was protesting too much that belied her words.

He took pity on her. "Joss, you can relax, I'm leaving," he reassured as he climbed to his feet.

She blinked. "You are?" she wondered with a mixture of sadness as she stood up too. "I thought you said…"

He shook his head. "You're not the type of woman that has one night stands and that's all this would be, Joss, all I can give you is one night. I leave New York tomorrow morning," he murmured. Joss stared at him as if he suddenly began speaking a foreign language. "I had a nice time," he said softly, genuinely, because he did have a nice time. But Joss, whether subconsciously or not, was looking for something he couldn't give her. He wasn't willing to move on from Jessica, at least not yet, and this woman in front of him deserved nothing less than all of someone.

Joss forced a smile. She had a nice time too until these last few minutes. She wanted to know more about him, understand him but the blasted man wasn't being cooperative. "Thank you for a lovely date tonight, John."

"It wasn't a date," he said instantly.

"Could have fooled me." she countered.

"I was just repaying the coffee you purchased me, Joss," he insisted.

"Are you sure?" she wondered knowingly and he narrowed his eyes on her. She smirked, having turned the tables on this man. "Okay answer me this, John. What do you call a man and a woman sharing their time together who are extremely attracted to one another?—I call it a date, but maybe you call it something else," she teased.

He opened his mouth to protest more but snapped it shut when he realized he had really nothing else to say other than: nu-uh, which sounded childish and would work for a boy of ten and not of a man of forty-one. John sighed as he gently shook his head as he peered down at her who was grinning happily at getting him.

"You're something else, Joss, not like many women I meet," he said admirably.

She chuckled. "I could say the same thing about you, John. You aren't at all like the usual men I meet," she agreed pensively, because this was it and she wasn't going to see him again. She looked up into his eyes. "Screw it," she muttered under her breath reaching up grabbing his cheeks and tugged him down for a kiss. If this was the last time she ever saw this man she at least wanted to kiss this man just once.

The moment their lips met she knew it was a mistake, a glorious amazing blunder. Joss groaned inwardly, she had been better off never knowing what his lips felt like because now knowing and never experiencing it again was going to be lifelong torture. At first he didn't kiss her back which was fine, she got to test his texture, and John had amazing texture; soft as suspected, warmer than imagined. Joss was about to pull back, ending the unwise kiss, and let him leave until he reached up cupping the back of her neck and kissed her.

She gasped in startled delight as his lips moved on hers with ease and talent. John was a very good kisser. Her arms found themselves around his neck, her body edged in closer so their chests whispered against one another's as she answered his questing mouth with hungry fierceness. Man, she didn't remember the last time she was kissed or kissed this well.

John groaned as alarm bells rung inside his mind before they were dulled by the sexual haze surrounding his brain the very moment Joss answered his hungry kiss with the same potent need. He swiped his tongue across the seam of her sensual lips, wanting more, and she moaned as she opened wide and he slipped his tongue inside immediately. His tongue slid across hers and it was like fireworks exploded behind his eyes, his burgeoning arousal stiffened painfully at the soft moan that escaped the back of her throat.

Joss sucked in a ragged breath as their mouths clung together, tongues dueling, as John's hands lifted into her hair as he fitted himself against her, and they fit perfectly. She rose up on tip-toes to get closer still, his forming erection pressing against her belly as she kissed him with equal passion as she let her hands slip from his neck sliding down and down to grab his butt.

He broke the kiss dragging in a ragged breath. "I'm sorry."

"For what?—kissing me, I kind of kissed you first, John."

John stood before her, still cupping his hands in her hair and he let his fingers massage her scalp while her hands were unconsciously kneading his ass. "Tell me to leave, Joss," he said, realizing he didn't have the actual strength to do it himself. He needed her to push him out, to tell him she didn't want this. "Please tell me you don't want me and to get the hell out," he begged.

"Stay," she purred.

He groaned. "That's not what you were supposed to say," he chided as his hands slowly slid from her hair and rested on her shoulders trying to push away but couldn't. What was it about her?

"John, I want you."

"That's worse," he complained mildly as his cock throbbed in time with her words. "You don't do this."

"No, I usually don't, but if you are only here for one night more in New York, I want tonight then. John, I'm tired of letting things pass me by. I don't feel this strong of chemistry with just any man, in fact you're the first, even my ex-husband didn't make me feel like this, like I have to have you, like you're a drug."

"Joss—" he started but she cut him off.

"You asked me to tell you to go but I can't, so if you truly don't want me, don't want tonight, then you leave yourself, don't put it on me," she mandated as she let go of his ass, reached up and tugged him down for another kiss. He helplessly let her.

John sucked in a ragged breath as her mouth captured his, probing, searching, and taking. He stood there, her palms pressed to his cheeks firmly like she was worried he was going to pull away. But he couldn't pull away if he wanted too. Joss's lips felt too damn good against his, he didn't recall the last time he had been kissed with this sort of passion or felt this sort of passion.

It was his turn to reach down and grab her butt tugging her forcefully against him and she moaned hotly as they were pressed flush together. He lifted her and she gasped as she broke the kiss as his mouth settled on her hammering pulse in her neck. "Oh god," she sighed as he settled between her legs intimately brushing her. He sucked on her neck as he pressed into her, her back resting against the wall of her living room.

John needed to reign himself in, put her down, and escape her front door. "Bedroom?" he demanded instead against her neck which seemed his body was in command and not his brain.

"Upstairs." she managed to get out as John's erection was pressing against her and she was shocked at the size of the bulge. Oh good lord.

He caught her mouth with his as he held her in his arms and she wrapped her legs around his hips as he carried her to her stairs. John easily went up the steps even with her in his arms and desperately kissing her feverishly. She ended the kiss to suck at his neck, letting her tongue flit down the column of his neck before she tugged his collar aside a bit to suckle at the area where his neck met his shoulder blade. He shivered at the contact.

John found her bedroom on his own as she sucked at his neck. He set her on her feet and pushed away a bit as sanity came back. He stepped back and rubbed a hand through his hair shakily. Her hair was mussed from his hands, her lips swollen, and he could see her nipples through her shirt. She was aroused as much as he was.

"Condoms." he said desperately. He didn't have any.

She blinked and smiled. "Pill and I trust you to be clean."

"Why?—I could be a ladies man and have every STD known to mankind," he pointed out. She snorted. "And what is with that snort, I could," he demanded.

"Yea, okay, ladies men don't stutter when they try to ask a woman to coffee and they sure the hell don't blush when they are caught staring at a woman's breasts. I think it's safe to assume you aren't a ladies man, John." she spoke with a laugh. "Unless you don't believe I'm clean."

"You're clean," he said assuredly.

She smiled and reached out cupping him through his pants and he sighed at the brazen touch. "I want you, John," she whispered and they were the magic words because he kissed her again, pushing her towards her bed, reaching down and tugging at the hem of her long purple shirt up. She lifted her arms and broke the kiss to help tug it over her head. He palmed her breasts that were encased in a white satin bra. She hissed in pleasure as he pulled the cups down so there was no fabric in his way. He thumbed her puckered nipples.

He grabbed them roughly, earning a throaty gasp and he tongued one nipple and she squirmed and he tightened his hold on her breasts ensuring she stay put. Joss shifted in front of him as her hands rested on his shoulders, she moaned as he washed his tongue across her nipple lavishing it with attention. Smirking at her curse as she wanted him to suckle, but he was in the mood to tease her first as he continued to thrum the other one with his index and thumb that awaited his mouth's attention. He decided to take pity on her as he opened his mouth and took as much of her breast into his mouth as he could.

Joss moaned as her knees grew weak with his mouth playing with her breast. His hand was tweaking and pinching her other nipple that felt neglected. His mouth sucked thoroughly at her breast and she couldn't pull back even if she wanted too. John had a firm grasp of her breasts tight enough to keep her in place but not to hurt her. She was forced to stay upright and each draw of his mouth on her nipple sent a new shiver cascading down into her stomach before lodging itself between her legs. She felt uncomfortably wet.

John finally released her breast from his mouth that was wet from his attention before he kissed his way to the other breast waiting for him.

"John," she breathed in need.

He smiled as her as he pulled back and lifted her and deposited her onto the bed gently. He climbed on top of her and proceeded to go back to the same breast he had just finished lavishing attention to, to tease her by leaving the other still neglected. She groaned in agony as her breasts tingled; one in need of his mouth and the other from having his mouth on it. He sucked hard and she cried out as he relaxed the intensity the moment before it became too much. She sighed as he drew on it softly then, knowing just when and how she wanted it.

He pulled his head back and kissed her sternum before moving to the poor neglected breast. John smiled down at her flushed face as he rested between her legs snugly and intimately. He reached around her and undid the clasp to her bra and flung it off her bed uselessly. John lowered his head and playfully circled the areola knowing what she truly wanted. He held her breast up for his mouth while he slid his other hand up and down her ribcage finding a large scar that had to be from the land mine she told him about.

Joss squirmed and her hands grabbed his head and tried to shove him to her nipple and he chuckled. "Is there something you want?"

"John, I…" she was having trouble verbalizing any thought.

He gave her what she wanted anyway as he licked her nipple warmly. Her hips jerked up and he hissed in pleasure as their groins rubbed sensually together. John latched onto her breast and sucked hard, before using his teeth and tugged on the hard pebbled nipple. Joss moaned in answer as he bit on her nipple tugging with just enough pressure that it would give her a tiny pinprick of pain before he soothed it away with his tongue. He swirled the nipple around with his tongue with abandon and she was squirming under him and he wondered if she was close to an orgasm just from his attention to her breasts. He pushed his hips down harder onto hers, resting his rock hard erection against her intimately, feeling the heat ebbing from between her legs. He could picture how wet and ready she was, how easy it would be to bury himself deep inside her and his cock jerked in response.

John leaned his head back and eyed her before he began rhythmically moving his hips and she gasped. Her hands slid down from his shoulders grabbing at his hips. "John…."

He thrust down into her and wished there were no clothes in their way. But he liked her soft hitch of her breath as he rubbed against her. "Feel what you do to me, Joss," he whispered. Joss hissed in pleasure because his erection throbbed beneath his confines and she needed less clothing between them. "Come just like this, Joss."

Was he out of his mind?—but he sped up his hips rubbing against her sinfully even with their clothes on. She gasped as he leaned down wrapping his arms around her. His shirt and the buttons of that lavender shirt were rubbing her chest, her tender nipples, and it was creating different sensations. John was fully clothed and she was on the verge of coming. Her legs wrapped around his hips as her hips lifted to meet his more fully. John pushed back and sucked on her breast, she tilted her head back as she climaxed calling his name out.

He felt her shudder as she came and pictured the way her spasms rocked across his dick if he had been inside her when she came. He pushed back and she stared at him wide-eyed as he tugged her shoes off in desperate haste to get between her legs. She was nothing like he imagined. He wanted to taste her, make her scream his name. He wanted to fuck her all night. She made him wish he wasn't leaving New York. John undid her jeans and pulled the tight pants and her unwanted panties down her legs leaving her fully naked under him.

He shook as he eyed perfection. "So amazing." he muttered as he leaned over her and kissed her mouth warmly, before dragging his tongue down her chin, down her neck. He pressed soft kisses to her chest but bypassed her, now had to be, aching breasts. He ran a finger across the large scar crossing her abdomen. "Land mine?" he asked as he looked up and so she was dazed with desire.

"Yea," she answered shortly.

The way he was rubbing it made it feel like it was just another beautiful extension of her. She hissed out in shocked pleasure as she felt his tongue trace every jagged length. The scar was ugly but with John it felt different. She squeezed her eyes tight unwilling to cry. And as if he sensed how she was feeling he moved on to her belly button, then pressed a warm kiss to the C-section scar she had.

He leaned back. "Where did you get this one?"

She panted a bit. "C-section," she managed.

He smiled brightly at her before resuming his thorough exploration of her body with his tongue. John pressed a soft fervent kiss to the apex of her thighs, shooting pleasurable waves of need throughout her body. He parted her thighs, inhaling her strong scent of arousal and moaned harshly as he eyed her beauty laid bare to him. And she was his. Joss shivered and fought the surging self-consciousness as John was staring between her legs and not doing much else.

Need was building to a rising inferno. "John, I-I need…"

He didn't say a word as he pressed a sweet butterfly kiss against her that stopped her from speaking. He smiled as she moaned and her legs instinctively went to close. John chuckled when she couldn't accomplish it since his head was between her legs. He rested his left hand in her private hair and the other held her creamy thigh. He spread her for him and he licked her up and down, exploring her sex with his tongue. She cried out and he wondered if Joss ever had anyone do this to her. Well, she was in for a treat because he was told by women he did oral sex extremely well.

Joss didn't realize what she was missing out on with oral sex until John's mouth was between her legs and doing things no man has ever done. Cal and she had sex a few times but nothing wowing. Paul wasn't one for oral; receiving or giving, they had a very predictable sex life though to be fair the idea of having Paul's mouth on her hadn't been desired. But John…her hips rolled seeking his mouth for more.

John continued the teasing until he had her comfortable. He knew the moment she was when her legs spread wider open for him, heels of her feet pressed tightly against the mattress, lifting to follow his mouth, and her hands in his hair pulling him close rather than trying to push him away.

He latched his lips onto her clit and gently sucked for a moment before he slid his tongue down to her entrance lapping up her wetness before he let his tongue slip between her inner lips.

Joss gasped in surprise as John's tip of his tongue slid inside her just a bit. He grinned as he slid back up and drew her clitoris back into his mouth and sucked her rhythmically with light pressure and Joss keened out a wild half-cry, half-scream of ecstasy. He smiled as she was close, her fingers digging into his scalp and he sat back and licked his lips delaying her orgasm.

"You okay, Joss?"

Joss struggled to speak, to breathe. "God, what are you doing to me?" she whispered as her sex throbbed for him to finish what he started. She wanted his mouth back on her now.

"Loving you the way you deserve," he said fiercely. The fact that Joss never had a man go down on her was ludicrous to him. The men before him were stupid he decided because Joss's taste was like fine honey.

He watched as her breathing slowed and her body relaxed a little, telling him she wasn't on the verge of coming apart. Good, this time he was going to take her to the edge and beyond. John pressed a biting kiss to her thigh which had her jumping before he rested a heavy hand on her stomach, and buried his mouth between her legs, settling back onto her swollen nub of desire quick and sure.

She cried out in unexpected surprise as he just went back to it without another word, she arched her back and writhed in need. Her hands lifted from his hair as she reached above her head grabbing her pillows as her hips jerked up and he held her tight, sucking on her so hard, her lips parted as she cried his name feeling her orgasm rushing her center. His lips, tongue, and teeth were drawing her to the edge and she had no hope of stopping.

The climax stormed her without warning and Joss saw stars, no, explosions as it burst through her as she writhed and twisted to get away from the torturous mouth buried in her pussy as she came with a shout of his name. It kept going and going, her screams echoing through the otherwise quiet room as he sucked on her pushing her onward. Her screams of ecstasy finally died as her body collapsed onto the bed when the final wave of pleasure ebbed away. Joss gasped in strangled breath. Damn. Double damn, that was nothing that she had been prepared for. She had orgasms before but none like that.

John reluctantly pressed one last kiss to her before wiping his mouth free of her nectar, sliding free from between her legs, sliding up and kissing her passionately. His tongue speared her mouth letting her taste herself and he loved the cute little gasp she let out. Her body still was quivering with aftershocks from her orgasm.

He pulled free of the kiss and she began undoing his shirt. He was still fully clothed. She needed him undressed NOW. John sat back and she sat up as they both worked to undo his shirt. She tugged it free of his pants when they got to the last button. John shrugged it off before he tugged his undershirt off too. Joss leaned forward and kissed his chest. His body was riddled with muscles, soft fine hair, and several scars. She got to her knees and tongued the length of a few of his scars wanting to know where and when he got them. But she wasn't going to ask because at this moment of time, words weren't needed. She needed John naked. Joss pushed him onto his back his head resting at the foot of her bed and she leaned over his body and ran her tongue and pressed her lips against his chest, abdomen and smiled when his stomach muscles bunched from the touch. She tongued his navel, letting her tongue dance across his waist, her chin bumping the belt buckle. His erection was pressing against her lower neck and chest.

She sat back and it was her turn to swiftly remove him of his shoes and socks. God, even his feet were sexy and big. And if Felicia was here she would tell her that must mean John had a dick the size of Texas. Judging by the bulge in his pants, Felicia would be correct and Joss was anxious to find out.

Joss ran her hands up his thighs and pressed her hand against his manhood that tented his pants upward. "All mine," she drawled huskily. She deftly undid his belt and fly before tugging his pants and underwear down in one fluid motion. She blinked then smiled. Felicia was so damn right. John's penis was long, thick, and powerful looking. Veins bulged and he was slightly reddish in color and she reached out and grabbed him in awe of it. He throbbed in her hand. She liked holding his manhood in her hand, feeling the power radiate off of him, knowing how much pleasure he was going to bring her.

He growled in the back of his throat as her hand rubbed his cock. Her thumb rubbing across the slit before he shivered in need as she began stroking him gently, he groaned as her other hand cupped his balls. "Perfect," she breathed as she grabbed a firm hold on him as she straddled him. His eyes were closed and his breath hitched as he felt wet heat on his tip. His eyes snapped open as she was about to draw him inside her.

He grabbed her hips and easily pushed her onto her back climbing on top of her. John hissed in pleasure as he rubbed his tip against her wet entrance. She scored his back with her nails. "Please, John…."

"Be sure, Joss," he begged. It would be hell on him but he'd stop if she told him.

"I want it John, please, I want you inside me."

He thrust into her hard, burying himself deep within her, and gasped at how she felt. He held himself still just for a moment to let her adjust to his length and size before he drew back and heard her emit a low moan of protest before he thrust back deep inside her and she sighed in happiness. John tried to keep a slow steady pace but she felt so damn good. He tilted her hips to change the angle and she cried out as she clutched her nails into his shoulders. Her heels dug into the mattress meeting him thrust for thrust.

Joss knew no one would compare, he ruined her and she wanted it. Never wanted it to end but the sweet aching tension tightening in her loins was coiling tighter getting ready to snap. Their eyes met and again they were unable to drop each other's gaze, which heightened their mutual need.

He moved faster, hips bucking against hers as his own climax was building to a crescendo, and she was meeting his frenzied thrusts hurriedly. Her soft mewling sounds spurred him on, knowing she was almost there. She flung her head back as she screamed his name, her entire body convulsed under his, her sex squeezing his, sucking on him drawing his orgasm free of the tight grasp his control had on it. He called out her name in answer as he thrust into her heat coming hard as he snapped his eyes closed to hide from the intimacy as she watched him. He held her hips still tightly as he kept himself buried deep inside her as she took everything he had and then after several moments he slumped on top of her.

For a while he laid on her, crushing her with his weight but she didn't mind. She welcomed it. Wanted it, and she also didn't want this night to end. Their ragged pants slowly diminished and their sweaty overheated bodies cooled.

John lifted his head. "I'm squashing you," he murmured apologetically.

She tightened her hold unwilling to let him go. "You're fine for now." she said instead, not ready for him to slide free of her. She liked the feel of them still joined, even with his softening cock.

His eyes searched hers. "I should go."

"I was hoping for another go around."

He stared at her. "Do you really think that's a good idea?—I leave in the morning, Joss. This is all I have to give." Unfortunately. For the first time since he learned of Jessica's death it wasn't the first thought in his head.

Joss wanted to call him a liar, from what she could understand he was hung up on a ghost, afraid of getting hurt again. "I want this night, John, if that's all you can give then it's what I will take."

He captured her mouth with his and she felt his cock stirring inside her and she decided she was going to enjoy this night and cry when morning came and this man disappeared from her life.

* * *

AN: Well, there's that. No hints, no clues for you guys to go on...I'm going to be mysterious. Although I am naming the chapters this time because it seems fun. So you might be able to glean a clue from those:

 **Chapter One: Gifts**

See a tiny hint at what's to come :) Thanks for reading!


	2. Ch 1: Gifts

**_AN: I feel the need to stress that this is definitely an AU. And there is a time jump...  
_**

 ** _Hope you enjoy,_**

* * *

 _March 7th 2016_

Grace rushed into her home and her husband, Harold, looked up. "Hello honey," he greeted. Grace smiled at her husband as he sat on the couch with their daughter, Leila, in his lap while they watched cartoons. Their dog, Bear (given to them from their good friend because he worked too much), was asleep on the floor near his feet. "Would you like help with that?" he murmured as she carried the lone grocery bag in her arms, ready to lift their daughter off his lap.

"No, I'm alright. What did my two favorite people do today?" she asked pushing some of her red hair out of her face, seeing that Leila was fully absorbed in Spongebob Squarepants.

"Leila and I went to the park, then to the library, and then came home to watch some cartoons," Harold said, before growing quiet as his wife disappeared and reappeared minus the bag. Since making his billions he decided to semi-retire from business. He preferred spending his days and nights with his wife and daughter. Harold occasionally had meetings to attend, but as a silent partner in most endeavors he wasn't required to do the meet and greets as often.

"Mommy!" Leila squealed as she climbed off his lap and crawled to go to mommy, who dropped onto the couch beside them, finally managing to tear her gaze off the television screen to greet her mommy.

Grace smiled at their daughter cuddling her close, giving her soft kisses on her small cheek. Her life was complete now that they had Leila. She loved Harold with all of her heart, but she wanted a family with him. She always wanted a child. Money wasn't ever going to be an issue for them to begin a family, conceiving was. She had been warned a long time ago that conceiving a child and carrying the baby to term would be difficult for her. So their options for a child were adoption or surrogacy. And the choice was easy; there were so many children out in the world that needed loving.

They had just decided upon adoption when their friend who was a top FBI agent saved a baby's life, Leila, from some crime syndicate that specialized in buying/selling babies. Their friend had saved the baby's life and knew she was going to fall into the system until he realized they had opted for adoption. Their friend, John, had pulled some strings and called in some favors so they could adopt the baby girl if they wanted. And one look at Leila and both she and Harold were in love.

Grace remembered how awed John had been when they asked him to be Leila's godfather. She giggled now, thinking about it. John surely was an adorable man. He had saved Leila's life and extracted her from horrible people who would have sold her to…Grace wouldn't even dare think of who could have ended up with her daughter. She consciously held Leila tighter. And if anything were to happen to her or Harold, they knew Leila would be in fine hands with him. Not to mention Leila loved Uncle John to pieces and he loved her just the same.

She wondered when John was ever going to settle down and begin a family of his own; he would make a wonderful father. He was going to be forty-six, so he still had time, but the clock was ticking ever so slowly.

Harold glanced at Grace who appeared to be lost in thought. He so did love watching his wife unassumingly. She was stunning. "Did you get the job?" he wondered mildly, having no doubt his wife got it. She was that amazing of an artist and it was something she seriously wanted to do.

Grace nodded. "Yes, Pioneer Books hired me to illustrate their books for them. I am so excited to illustrate children's books that our daughter, Maddie, and countless other little girls and boys will get to read," she said as she cuddled her daughter close, pressing a kiss in the soft blond hair. She looked at her husband. "Speaking of Maddie, when is she and her mother coming over?"

Harold glanced at his watch. "Soon," he answered while Leila had long ago went back to watching her cartoon. Meanwhile the adults fell in line along with her and chuckled at some of the stupid humor meant for adults.

* * *

Joss was running late. She hated running late. She blamed the thick traffic during evening rush hour on a Friday. She found a parking spot curbside in front of the luxurious and expensive complex that her friends lived in. "We're here, Maddie," Joss announced gently, which jerked her four year old daughter awake just as she was dozing off.

Madeline 'Maddie' Carter was breathtakingly beautiful with a thick mop of dark curls, light skin-tone due to her bi-racial identity, and gorgeous pale blue eyes she was gifted with from her daddy. Joss had been extremely happy her daughter had been graced by God with John's eyes. Every time she looked into them she saw him in her.

Joss had been stunned when she went to the doctor almost five years earlier, after noting fatigue and feeling nausea for far too long for it to be normal, to learn she was pregnant. At first she had decided her doctor had lost their sanity, because she couldn't possibly have been pregnant. She had been on the pill during her one night with John. It wasn't until she learned that her birth control pill was being placed on recall because the pharmaceutical company had 'accidentally' sent out a batch of birth control pills with a significantly lower dosage than was necessary to prevent conception, and ending up pregnant meant she was one of those recipients of the ineffective pills. Her mother, Felicia, and Taylor all urged her to sue the company which she did for the sake of Maddie, because she didn't know how to get a hold of John. The money she was awarded would pay for Maddie's college education.

She didn't have his last name and the trail ran cold a long time ago to find John. But since the time her daughter was born on December 20th until now she told Maddie all about her daddy. How he was a hero, that he had been in the Army just like mommy, how he had given her those beautiful blue eyes, that he loved her even though he wasn't there and how he treated her mommy so lovingly when they were together. And Maddie wanted him, asked repeatedly where her daddy was and Joss had to give the same answer: he had to go away and maybe one day he'd come back. She couldn't explain to her baby that she hadn't been thinking with her brain that night, and that she was nothing more than a happy accident. Joss wanted to give her, her daddy but just didn't know where to look.

The moment she left the doctor's office after being told she was pregnant, she had searched for John; finding about thirteen Johns on the flight the morning after Madeline was conceived. Damn him for having a common name. He could have been any one of them. But she searched anyway. She had found out enough about the first four to know that they weren't her John. And then she had begun growing sicker and sicker during her pregnancy, being put on bed rest, and finding John had taken a back seat.

Joss shoved thoughts of John out of her mind. He snuck into her mind every day, all the time, especially at night. John would come to her in her dreams as he would make love to her again, learn about Maddie, and they would become a family. It was a foolish dream. She wasn't ever going to see John again. She wasn't ever going to get to tell him he had a beautiful daughter who yearned for him. She wasn't ever going to get to see out their feelings for each other. And she knew instinctively that he had feelings for her just as she had for him. They shared a connection as well as their bodies that night and she wanted no one else besides John. If that meant she ended up alone for the rest of her life then so be it. She had Maddie to raise, John gave her a beautiful daughter. And she had Taylor. Many women were not as blessed as she was.

She climbed out of her car and opened the backdoor to collect her baby. Joss settled her daughter in her arms when it was clear Maddie had no desire to awaken fully, closing the door firmly before locking the car up tight as Maddie laid her head on her shoulder. She carried her into the complex, smiling at the doorman who knew who they were. Maddie was dozing in her arms having not outgrown falling asleep during car rides just yet. But Leila would wake her baby up, as she walked them to the elevators to go to the top floor where the penthouses were located. Leila and Maddie were two peas in a pod, they loved each other. And meeting Leila and her parents had been just pure dumb luck. Joss and Grace had walked their daughters at the same time in Central Park daily. So Joss nodded or waved at her, then Grace took it one more step and would greet her, and then soon they were striking up conversation, meeting the other's child, and the rest was history. Leila was about ten months older than Maddie. Leila was born in February and Grace and her husband adopted her in June, while Maddie was born in December of the same year.

Joss hurried out of the elevator and walked to their penthouse and knocked on the door. She heard footsteps before the door opened wide and Grace was giving her a giant grin. "Glad you could make it."

Joss gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry for being late."

Grace waved her off. "You're only five minutes late, Joss," she said before her eyes zoned in on Maddie. "Hello Maddie," she said as she ran a hand through the curls. Maddie opened her eyes and looked at Grace.

"Auntie Grace!" Maddie perked up with a large happy grin as she reached out immediately for Grace.

Grace took Maddie into her arms kissing her cheek loudly. "Hi sweetheart," she greeted before setting her on her feet.

"Lee-Lee!" Maddie cried as she found her friend sitting in the corner of the penthouse playing with her doll house.

Leila's head popped up, tiny pigtails flying, and a wide toothy smile emerged. "MADDIE!" Joss and Grace smiled as Maddie ran to go play with Leila and the two little girls began playing instantly, lost in their own shared imagination. The two were thick as thieves. Leila was a beautiful blue eyed, blond hair girl. She could have rivaled Shirley Temple except she didn't have the curls.

Grace turned to look at Joss. "Happy Birthday!" she said as she hugged her.

Joss accepted it warmly. "Thank you, you and Harold shouldn't have gone to the trouble of making me dinner."

"We wanted to. You are our friend, we care about you and Maddie, and you only celebrate your birthday only once a year," Grace said as they parted.

Harold appeared out of their kitchen. "Happy Birthday, Jocelyn," he said as he limped over to give her a hug and kiss on the cheek. During one of their walks with the kids Grace had explained when and where Harold had received his permanent limp. He and his best friend had been in a horrific car accident which left Nathan DOA and Harold in bad shape. He had months of extensive physical rehab that had postponed their wedding until just nearly five years ago. In fact her friends were going to be celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary soon. And right about that time, was the night she met John and conceived Madeline.

"Thank you Harold," Joss murmured as she parted from the small but genuine man. He had money coming out of his pockets but you would never know that because he was so sweet and gentle.

"For the girls we have chicken nuggets and applesauce and for us: filet mignon," he said with a warm smile.

They chatted for a little while near the door watching the girls in the corner. Leila and Maddie were lost in their own little world, not paying the adults in the room any attention, which gave them a chance to catch up. It wasn't until dinner when the girls had realized the adults existed. Conversation flowed evenly and it was so nice to finally have an adult conversation. Although it wasn't that she didn't love explaining why Big Bird was big to her daughter, because she did, but it was nice having someone her age to talk too. Her son was in college and he was in Stanford which was so far away, but he loved it. He called and texted daily and Skyped his little sister all the time. For her birthday Taylor sent her flowers and chocolate along with a giftcard for dinner at her favorite restaurant.

They ate dessert after dinner, which left her feeling extremely full. But the girls were bouncing in their booster seats at singing Happy Birthday and getting cake. The cake was just delicious and afterwards they took the girls back into the living room so they could resume playing when Grace and Harold handed her a card.

Joss frowned as she took the pink envelope. "What is this?"

"Your birthday present," Grace supplied patiently, already having figured this was going to be a fight to get Joss to take it.

"Dinner and dessert was my gift," Joss argued.

"No, dinner and dessert was not your gift, it was a precursor to give you the gift," Harold said equally patient. "Jocelyn, you are a valued and dear friend. Our daughters are going to be growing up together nearly inseparable, so we wanted to give you a gift."

She narrowed her eyes on them. They hadn't done this last year. Joss side-eyed them as she began opening the envelope and tugged the pink and white card free of the envelope. She read the sweet card's front before she opened it and blinked as something slid free. She grabbed it but finished reading the card first, before eyeing what was gifted to her.

"No." Joss stated firmly, seeing exactly what it was.

"Yes…"

She shook her head as she looked up. "No! You are not giving me a Caribbean Cruise for my birthday! Nope, no way, no how are you doing that!"

Grace smiled. "But you admitted to not having a vacation in years and you deserve one, Joss. You and Maddie will have so much fun."

"We would if we were going, but we aren't because I can't accept this extravagant of a gift!" Joss said, circling back to the fact that she wasn't accepting this.

Harold tilted his head. "Why not?—it's all paid for. I donate over a million dollars to your precinct and others around the city every year so when I asked your captain and friend, Felicia Moreno, about your vacation time, she said you would have more than enough time for the seven day cruise. You have more than three weeks of un-used paid days off."

Joss glared at her friends. "You had this all set up!" she kept her voice low so her baby didn't know she was upset. Maddie would get upset if she knew mommy was angry.

"We did because we wanted to take your mind off things," Harold said, irritatingly reasonable. Joss wanted to smack the man for backing her into a corner. "This isn't pride that is keeping you from accepting our gift is it?" he wondered.

Joss thinned her lips. It sure the hell was. Because there was no way in hell she could give them anything nearly as extravagant as they got her for their birthday. Her money went to bills, helping Taylor with some additional college expenses, putting food on the table, and buying Maddie the things she needed. Things for herself were dead last on the list if they even made it.

Grace sat down beside her on the couch, reaching out and grabbing her hand in hers. "We love you, Joss. We see how much you do for Maddie, how much you sacrifice for your children. Rightfully so, your children are your life, just as Leila is Harold's and mine. But we want to give you this vacation; we even contacted your son who wishes he could go with you but he's busy with school."

"I can't repay you."

"We're not asking to be, this is a gift," Harold said. "Please accept it; it would hurt Grace and my feelings if you do not."

Joss exhaled. "Oh now, that's just not fair!" she complained. How dare he pull that guilt trip on her?—now how was she supposed to decline the gift. She looked down at the boarding pass and airline tickets seeing they left on Sunday, which meant she already was approved for the time off by Felicia. Joss looked up and smiled softly seeing she was defeated. "Alright, I accept your truly wonderful gift and I can't thank you enough for this. I really do appreciate it," she said before hugging Grace warmly, standing up to go hug Harold. She didn't know how she became blessed with such nice and sweet friends but she was, and maybe someday she'll figure out a way to repay them for their generosity.

* * *

Harold glanced at Grace as she entered their bedroom as he sat on their bed with Bear lying at the foot of the bed later that night. "I just checked in on Leila and she's fast asleep." She had changed into her nightgown while he had been sitting and reading one of his prized first edition books. She climbed in beside him, grabbing her sketchpad but didn't open it, instead she looked at him. "Honey, can I ask you something?" she asked.

"Of course, my love," he assured as he set the book down, shifting awkwardly to give her his sole focus.

"I thought we were going to send Joss on the Alaskan Cruise because it had two extra days, I thought you were going to ask Captain Moreno to give Joss a couple extra days off." she said. Being a single mom was difficult so much so that Grace had no idea how Joss handled it, so when her brilliant husband explained to her about the gift he wanted to give Joss and her family, she knew it would be perfect.

"We did," he murmured. That had been until his lovely wife told him about a conversation she had with Joss this past week, which brought an old but peculiar conversation he had with his very dear friend John back to the forefront of his mind. Then everything began falling into place, like a jigsaw puzzle, leaving him astounded:

 _"Harold?" John murmured questioningly as they stood outside on the balcony together, grilling the hamburgers._

 _"Yes John?" Harold answered as he looked to his friend and Godfather to his daughter. John was back in town for dinner that Grace practically twisted his arm to come to. Perhaps his darling wife was trying to match-make Jocelyn and John together but unfortunately Jocelyn wasn't able to make it since Maddie was sick and she had to work._

 _"Do you believe in soul-mates, Harold?"_

 _Harold eyed John more fully as John grilled the burgers, noting that he looked thoughtful. "Yes, why do you?"_

 _John looked up. "If we had this conversation a few years ago I would have said no."_

 _"So you never believed Jessica was your soul-mate?"_

 _"No. I loved Jessica but we weren't meant to be together," John muttered taking a swig from his beer bottle._

 _Harold felt a smile warm his face. He was so glad to hear that. John had suffered from immense guilt and pain over her death, wanting to save her so badly. It took a while for John to come to terms with Jessica's role in her own death, but it happened and he was glad John finally healed enough to see that._

 _"So what changed your mind, John?" Harold asked after John didn't add anything further. Or better yet he should ask: **who** changed his mind. John seemed to stare off into space with a small smile on his face, as if he was reliving something, before he cleared his throat and shook his head as if trying to shake the memory of whatever or whoever it was away._

 _"Time, that's all."_

"Then why did you get Joss the Caribbean cruise instead?" Grace asked perplexed, drawing Harold out of his thoughts on his peculiar conversation with John about two and a half years ago that had made little sense then. But now it made complete sense to him.

Harold smiled. "It's all because of you, Grace," he admitted and she furrowed her brows. "The story you told me about Madeline's father. I never asked Joss about the father of her child because I didn't want to impose."

Grace nodded. "That's why I didn't ask either. But Joss finally felt comfortable enough to tell me about him."

He nodded. "I know and I am happy you told me about the conversation that you had with Jocelyn. Because I believe I know who the father of her child is," Harold proclaimed proudly. He knew that sometimes women discussed things and kept quiet about it. But luckily his wife had told him distractedly about it while she was doing laundry.

Grace's brows rose high, startled at the announcement. "You do?—who, how?" she asked as she turned her body more fully towards her wonderful and thoughtful husband.

Harold smiled at his wife. "I believe Madeline Carter's father is our dear friend, John Reese," he said as if he was not dropping a bombshell. Grace felt like her jaw dropped open as she waited for Harold to continue. "John was in town for our wedding right about the time Madeline was conceived."

Grace knew there had to be more to it than just that for her husband to think that John was the father of Joss's child. It was just so out of the blue to jump to that sort of conclusion without more than just that. "How do you know she was conceived during the time John was in town for our wedding?" she questioned.

"Jocelyn, she said that Maddie was born about right on time for her expected due date by a C-Section. So, doing the math, that is in the two week window Mr. Reese was here for the wedding. We also know the father was Caucasian because of Madeline's bi-racial identity," Harold stated the facts that they knew of so far.

Grace nodded as she felt cautiously excited. Joss was hung up on the man that fathered Madeline and she could understand why if it was John. He was classically handsome, sweet, shy, and extremely intelligent. And she had hoped to set John up with Joss ever since meeting Jocelyn believing they would be perfect for each other, hoping he'd settle down, and move to New York if he had a ready-made family here. Plus it was a little selfish too, since Leila missed Uncle John when he was gone for long periods of time. But now the possibility that John was the man that fathered Madeline made her ridiculously happy.

"Then there are those blue eyes that Madeline has," she added. Now thinking about them, they did look like John's piercing blues.

Harold nodded. "What truly makes me believe that John is Madeline's father is the story Joss told you."

"The story?—oh, you mean about the woman that Madeline's unknown father had lost. She was murdered," Grace repeated the small key part of it. Joss had explained everything to her. And it was what led Joss to believe that 'John,' the father of her child, was scared to move on from a ghost. It had just recently happened when they met and fell into bed with one another for a long blistering night of lovemaking. But it wasn't only lovemaking. Joss had said they stayed up talking and connecting that they shared more than just their bodies during that night. Grace had admittedly been a tad jealous of the tale. She wished her and Harold had such a passionate beginning, of falling in love at first sight but her own issues failed her on that one.

"Yes, that one," Harold agreed. "John and my friendship goes way back into the days of my bachelor-hood," he said with a twitch of his lips. "And into the days when John left Jessica because being with a soldier was not the life for her, while it sounds erroneous and arrogant of him to decide what was in her best interests; it truly was for the best. I met Jessica once and she would not have been able to handle being home while John was deployed. They loved each other but weren't compatible. John did what was best for them both. Jessica married another man which left John hurt but not surprised, however the man she chose to marry was not a good man at all. Peter was abusive and murdered Jessica in a fit of rage."

"I didn't know John's ex, who he apparently loved, was murdered." Grace spoke thoughtfully.

"That's because John doesn't like to bring Jessica up. He has healed since then and grieved over her death the only way John knows how and that is to bury himself in his work," Harold continued.

Grace sat thinking and contemplating what her husband said. It all made a lot of sense. Just as a criminal case in law, all the evidence was circumstantial but it was a heaping pile that made total sense. Joss had said the man's name that she slept with was John, he was the sexiest man she had ever seen, and had pretty blue eyes and a body to kill for. John was athletic, keeping well in shape for his career in the FBI, not to mention John was absolutely gorgeous. Joss had said he was shy and reserved and that was John in a nutshell. Then everything that Harold just told her about Jessica fit in line with what Joss told her about the dead woman the father of Madeline had talked about, right down to the same name: Jessica.

She looked at her husband. "I think you're right. I think our friends had a one night stand that resulted in Madeline. It's just one more thing to be thankful for from John," she said.

Harold furrowed his brows this time. "What do you mean?"

"If John never met and slept with Joss then Joss never would have become pregnant with Madeline and we would never have met her during our daily walks of our children."

"Ah, yes, you're very right, Grace, John gave us the gift of Jocelyn and Madeline in our lives," he said softly, nodding his head in agreement. Well, if everything worked out maybe he could repay John. He believed John wanted to find Joss and pick up where they left off but something was holding John back. John was stuck in a routine that if he continued in then his life would pass him by. Harold had no intention of letting his friend, best friend in fact, live his life alone. Mr. Reese always wanted a child, a family, and he had one; he just didn't know he had one.

"There's just one last thing I'm unclear on, Harold," Grace admitted after a moment.

"What's that, my love?"

"Why that specific cruise that you chose to send Joss on?—what do you know that I don't?" she wondered. Maybe she wasn't the only one that had their eyes on match-making John with Jocelyn.

Harold smiled and explained.

* * *

AN: *peeks out from hiding spot* So I know you guys were hoping he wouldn't leave couldn't leave her after that night...but John is very much a stubborn man. Though he left Joss with a parting gift, so those who had said about pregnancy, you guys were spot on ;D And Maddie is actually based off my cousin's daughter because she's bi-racial and has big gorgeous blue eyes. So now as you have seen chapter one of this; this is decidedly AU since there is no machine, no numbers, John is in the FBI not the CIA, and Harold/Grace got married. I kept lots of things of our characters we do know but tweaked them to fit this A/U so I hope you guys will still continue on this journey with me *puppy eyes* And while I know 'Reese' is not John's real surname for this it is because it's the most identifiable last name we have for him from the show. Leila is the first character from POIverse that you'll recognize and a few more coming your way. Coming your way next is the very fun:

 **Chapter 2: All Aboard!**

Thanks for reading!


	3. Ch 2: All Aboard!

_**AN: The italics at the beginning is a flashback. I decided to give you guys snippets into Carter and Reese's night together which most likely will always be at the beginning of chapters if there are any. And it might be because I just wanted to add some more sexiness to this ;D**_

* * *

" _Chocolate and sex, you're spoiling me for life Joss," John moaned as she fed him another piece of chocolate._

 _Joss giggled as she took a piece for herself. After round number three both of them were starving. She reluctantly left her bed with John in it to go find them some grub in her kitchen. She had gotten her robe on which seemed to irritate John as she covered her body, he stretched out on her bed looking like he belonged there. She had forced herself to leave before she climbed back on her bed and ravaged him. They needed food to recharge their batteries so to speak. She never ran down the stairs so quickly in her life. She didn't want to miss a single moment of their one night together, spending it even extra few seconds apart. The longest they were apart since this love fest began was when they each used the restroom separately._

 _Joss raided her pantry, finding her stash of candy and chocolate. She had a soft spot for chocolate covered caramel. She decided for John, she'd share it with him. She grabbed an armful and managed to grab two fresh wineglasses and the half-drank wine bottle from the living room._

 _When she entered her bedroom she found him standing up looking ready to come after her naked and unashamed. Not that he had anything to be ashamed of, John was one fine male specimen. Muscles toned his body, so did scars that she had been given tiny little stories of where he received them. Soft hair lining down beginning at his naval directing your gaze, as if you needed direction, to his manhood and his cock hung long, thick, and perfect. The moment her eyes caressed that particular part of his body it lifted and she nearly laughed if she hadn't been aroused by the fact that one look at her and he was hardening._

 _Chocolate and wine had taken a backseat for another blazing hot round of sex that hadn't even been on the bed. John had taken her where she stood, barely remembering to take the wine, the glasses, and their precious chocolate from her and rest them on the nightstand before he was taking her, robe parted and all. Now after they relaxed and climbed back in bed with her lounging against her pillows and John seated in the middle of the bed taking most of the space up, eating their chocolate and sipping wine._

 _She grinned coyly at his moaned statement. Someone had a sweet tooth. He had nearly devoured all her chocolate. "You have a bigger sweet tooth than me and my son put together," she teased._

 _He smiled as he shifted and settled beside her against her pillows. "I love chocolate," he said with a shrug as he set his wine glass down on her other nightstand closest to him._

" _I can see that," she murmured as she eyed the waste of wrappers spread out on her bed. "It's like chocolate carnage."_

 _He laughed. "Now you know my weakness: chocolate, well chocolate and strawberries," he admitted softly, ducking his head a little. Joss felt her pulse quicken whenever he gave her a small tidbit of himself and so shyly. Like talking about himself wasn't something he was used to doing. "And better yet chocolate covered strawberries."_

 _She grinned as she leaned into him. "Chocolate covered strawberries are your kryptonite, huh? Too bad I don't have any strawberries in the house or I could see just how to render you powerless, so I can do as I please to you," she purred as she kissed him which he responded to._

 _Joss sighed in the back of her throat as each new kiss they shared was even more exhilarating than the one before it. She couldn't get enough of it, of him, and she was truly afraid John was her addiction. A craving she wouldn't ever be able to get enough of. She let her tongue slip past his lips and he made a soft growling noise in the back of his throat as their tongues met, tasting the chocolate and wine that settled on their tongues. She shivered as it mixed with John's own taste. He was a unique blend all his own, very male, delicious, and so intoxicating. She ran her hands down his chest pausing to flick his flat nipples with her fingers which puckered at the soft touch. His body responded to hers as quickly as hers responded to his. His arms wrapped around her as he pulled her closer onto his lap as he easily took control of her kiss. She let him. She was exactly where she wanted to be: in his arms, and her body pulled up against his._

 _John couldn't seem to get a grip on himself or this overwhelming need for her. He couldn't seem to stop tasting her mouth. It was sweet and rich, like the chocolate he so loved and desired. His cock stirred to life as he deepened the kiss and as she pressed close. He nearly groaned as he felt the wet heat of her center of desire against his thigh. John felt his cock harden painfully fast, knowing how ready and aroused she was. When would he get enough? When would this continual need for her dissipate? When would he not hunger after the touch of her smooth velvet skin, to kiss her lips, to slide his tongue across hers, to suck on her womanhood to earn those sexy throaty cries of his name?—or bury his throbbing dick deep inside her to enjoy her tight clasp, feel her scratch his back as he took her again, and feel the way she came around him drawing him over the edge right along with her?_

 _He blocked out the questions. The answers would only serve to ruin the night for them because they would send him running from what he already knew; that tonight wasn't merely about sex. John broke the kiss to stare into her eyes, feeling different, but he focused on her as he rolled her under him, shoving the wrappers off the bed. He lifted her hips as she spread her legs, their eyes locked on each other's as he slid deep inside her, and he shook as it felt like coming home._

* * *

Joss arrived in Fort Lauderdale Florida at baggage claim in the airport, ready for her vacation. The flight from New York to Florida wasn't too long, but Maddie had been unusually cranky because of lack of sleep the night before, needing a nap but with the hoopla at the airport, that didn't work out, and she fidgeted for much of the flight. In her daughter's defense this was her first flight, so she was taking in the experience. Joss tried to distract her daughter with her favorite pink stuffed bunny that had blue eyes like her as she earned the ire from irritated passengers and flight attendants alike. Maddie was usually a very quiet little girl with a sweet disposition but during the flight she had been very loud with her displeasure and need for sleep that she was refusing herself. About the only thing that calmed Maddie down was when Joss begun to tell her, her favorite story of King John in search of his Queen Joss and Princess Madeline. She grew sleepy in her arms as she listened to the story about daddy coming for her and slaying dragons for his beloved daughter. All the passengers quietly rejoiced when Maddie fell asleep, her included.

Felicia was all too happy to push her out the door at the precinct yesterday when she gone there to complain at her friend about giving out her personal details to Finch. Felicia refused to be guilted, merely telling her to see herself to the door. Lionel promised to make her pay for coffees for an additional week while he worked their cases alone while she was gone and experiencing a real life, and that to repay him for all the paperwork was to have some fun for once. Having Maddie with her she knew she would, if only her son could have made it, then it would have been a complete family getaway. Maybe someday in the future when her boy was out of college the three of them could go on a mini vacation together. Her son loved to ski. Maybe when Maddie was older they could go to a ski lodge and hit the slopes.

But she trusted her partner to hold down the fort while she was gone. Lionel was a good friend and good partner. When Felicia had been promoted to Captain she had been ecstatic and slightly nervous; happy because her friend deserved the promotion, nervous because she didn't want a new partner. At first it took her a while to warm up and trust in Fusco but now she couldn't be happier.

When she got her luggage it was one hurdle of her beginning vacation that went smoothly. She had been quietly worried that the airport would misplace her luggage. That had happened to her more than a couple times in the past. Joss rolled her giant red floral suitcase that held all of her clothes, Maddie's, and several of Maddie's toys, behind her as she had the carryon bag slung on her shoulder along with her purse that housed her boarding pass and Passport. With her daughter's tiny hand firmly in hers she walked them to the exit. Maddie was slowly coming out of her funk with the little nap on the plane and was excitedly skipping beside her as she carried her stuffed pink bunny.

They exited the automatic doors of the airport, being blasted with warm air and humidity, and Joss looked around for her driver. Harold had said he was going to call ahead and get her a ride to where the Celebrity Silhouette Cruise ship was docked.

"Are you Joss Carter?"

Joss turned and saw a man about as tall as her, standing off to her left and answered; "Yes, and you are?"

"Your ride, I was hired by Harold Finch to give you a lift to the Celebrity Silhouette Cruise Ship."

"Oh, hello," Joss said happily. Maddie didn't care about introducing herself to the man since she was buzzing about going on the big boat and wanted to go like yesterday.

"I'm Leon, by the way, Leon Tao," he greeted with a smile. "You're awfully beautiful," he added, automatically giving her a once-over. Joss had chosen to wear short blue-denim shorts that were frayed on purpose and a white lace tank-top, coupled with white Nike flip-flops to board the ship. Joss had put on light makeup and tugged her relaxed and straightened hair into a ponytail with only her side-swept bangs free.

Joss chuckled softly, flattered by the words, as she followed the man who rolled her suitcase to the waiting silver Ford Focus for her. "Thank you, Leon."

"Are you seeing anyone?" he went on.

"No. But I'm not looking to see anyone either, I'm focused on raising my daughter," she said as gently as she could. Not that there was anything wrong with this man because there wasn't, she just wanted one guy and this man wasn't him.

"Too bad, because, seriously, you're hot."

Joss shook her head. She watched as he popped the trunk and struggled to lift her oversized suitcase into it. She had to resort to biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. She heard a distinct: 'what does she have in this thing, a dead body?' muttered under his breath as he grunted, barely lifting it off the ground.

"Need some help?" Joss offered gently, not wanting to wound the fragile male ego.

"No, no, I got it." he said between clenched teeth as the veins in his neck bulged as he strained to lift the suitcase while doing Lamaze breathing.

Maddie was unimpressed. "Mommy what's wrong with his neck?" her daughter asked not so quietly as she watched the man too.

"Nothing baby, the bag's too heavy for him." she muttered as she sighed. If she didn't help him she was going to miss her cruise.

Joss handed him her carryon bag which was slung on her shoulder and he exhaled in relief. "This one isn't too heavy. What did you do?—load the other one with rocks?"

She didn't pay the question any attention as she lifted the suitcase up and into the trunk in one fluid motion, still holding her daughter's hand. "There, now we can go," she said sweetly.

"She's a behemoth but a hot one," he muttered as he slung the carryon bag in the trunk beside the suitcase before slamming it shut and Joss giggled as she climbed into the backseat with her daughter. Maddie was still jazzed about finding their boat, uncaring about the little man who didn't have any muscles, as her mommy clipped the seatbelt over them both.

Leon climbed inside and drove them for not very long to where the cruise ship was docked. He filled in the silence with chitchat on how he met Harold and such. She didn't pay really much attention, just merely answering to be polite while rubbing her fingers over her daughter's braids with pink beads and watching the car approach a series of cruise ships.

Her eyes grew big as she saw the large Celebrity Silhouette ship. "Oh my!" she said a little breathless as the ship was gorgeous before pointing it out for her baby. Maddie was now bouncing on her lap in excitement.

"Yea, she's big," Leon agreed a little awed too. Joss never went on a cruise before but she had a feeling she was going to thoroughly enjoy the experience. She glanced at Leon and wondered if she should tip him. "I, uh, I guess I should help get your suitcase out of the trunk," he said a little dolefully at the thought as he climbed out of the car.

Joss couldn't help the roll of her eyes. "Yea because you were _such_ a help getting it in the trunk," she mumbled as she unclipped the seat belt and Maddie shot out of the car with her bunny clutched tight and was squealing and looking wide-eyed at the ship, as her momma climbed out much slower. Joss grabbed a hold of Maddie's hand firmly and saw that Leon had already pulled out the carryon bag but she shooed him out of the way to get her suitcase herself. If he couldn't lift it to get it in the trunk than he most certainly wasn't going to be able to lift it out of it either.

Joss got her suitcase out without trouble, before she rummaged through her purse to find her boarding pass and Passport. Once she had those in hand, she slung her carryon and purse onto her shoulder, and eyed Leon.

"Thank you for the ride, Mr. Tao," she said sincerely as Maddie was trying, unsuccessfully, to tug her towards the ship.

"Call me Leon and you're welcome. Harold already paid me, so you go on and enjoy your vacation."

Joss nodded as she started sidestepping the man finding him a combination of adorable and annoying. She paused to smile and wave which her daughter mimicked. "Bye Leon," she said as she backpedaled towards the ship.

He blinked and smiled as he waved back. "Bye, Joss and Maddie, have a fun trip! I'll be here when you get back to drive you to the airport."

Joss winced internally. "Oh, joy," she said under her breath.

She took only a few steps when she was approached by a big burly man pushing a cart loaded with luggage. 'Ma'am, here we go, let me get that for you and your little princess. Can I see your boarding pass, so we can get your suitcase on the way to your cabin?" Joss nodded appreciatively and handed him the requested document. "Oh, your in this ship's really nice suites. Good for the two of you! We'll get this up to your suite pronto. Have a fun time," he said, effortlessly toss her luggage on top of those he had already collected. Maybe Leon could take some lessons from this man. She handed the man a tip and she followed his directions to board the ship.

Maddie was bouncing once again with a wide toothy grin on her face and she wanted to bounce along with her daughter because she couldn't wait to start her vacation.

* * *

Eating a bucket full of nails would bring more enjoyment or drinking paint thinner perhaps, anything would be better than what he was currently doing right now. John felt like he was being dragged to his execution. Usually he didn't mind his undercover assignments but he didn't know about this one. Pretending to be a newlywed on his honeymoon was nearly asking too much. He didn't do vacations, even pretend ones.

"Hey, why are you looking pissed?—I'm the one that's pissed, rightfully so, since I have to pose as your doting new wife," Shaw sneered lowly as they stood beside one another as they boarded the ship, presenting their boarding pass and passport.

John glanced at his partner and friend: Agent Sameen Shaw. They had been partnered together for three, going on four years. He remembered when he first met the woman who had a chip on her shoulder bigger than she was. Shaw was at war with the world, thought her shit didn't stink, and she damn well didn't want to be considered a newbie. He hadn't helped matters for their rocky start as he hadn't wanted a partner, he worked better alone. His colleagues and co-workers often referred him as: Wolf, because of his lone wolf mentality. But Control, aka Ma'am, his superior, wanted two man teams, sticking him with the new recruit which irritated him. Bad enough he had to have a partner, but a newly minted FBI agent had made it even worse. Their first case together was a disaster but things changed when he saved her life; now he was good friends with the vulgar, short tempered, sociopath-in-the-making woman.

" _Shaw, Reese, you two can play kissy-face with each other for seven days!_ _You guys hang out all the time as it and you should be happy that you guys got the easy job, posing as newlyweds. I got the tough job of butler! I just had to unpack an eighty-nine year old woman's suitcase and she has thongs! Thongs! I don't even want to follow the logical conclusion as to why she has them, and a lobotomy wouldn't erase that sight from my memory!_ " their third wheel, Donnelly, exclaimed over their earwig, sounding shuddered and disturbed. John chuckled. Donnelly was a good Agent as he was extremely efficient and intelligent. Shaw didn't like him, though Shaw hated everyone.

"Did she have any crotch-less panties?" Shaw asked devilishly, finding amusement in Donnelly's pain.

"Shaw, don't take out your frustrations on Donnelly. Ma'am placed us in these covers," John muttered.

He believed it was because Control was sadistic and enjoyed watching her agents suffer because why else would she force him to pretend to be on a vacation and be Shaw's husband. Sure, they were partners and he'd die to save Shaw, Shaw would do the same for him, and she was like a little bratty sister he didn't necessarily want but wouldn't dream of losing; but that didn't mean he wanted to pose as her husband. They didn't even look like a couple, it was unbelievable and yet Ma'am didn't care stating she wanted only him for this particular assignment. And where he went, Shaw went.

Shaw glared at him. "Yea, but she's our superior and I can't do shit to her. And I hate everyone except you, Reese."

" _Thanks a lot, Shaw, you know I can still hear you_ ," Donnelly commented dryly.

Shaw rolled her eyes. "And I care, why?" she demanded.

Shaw wasn't telling any lies; she hated everyone except Reese. She never had any friends, she never had any use for them…until Reese. He was the only exception. When she joined the FBI and was given Reese as a partner; she knew it was because she was the newbie. He had eyed her with disdain because he preferred working alone. So did she, she didn't need a babysitter and at the time that was what she viewed Reese as. So she dismissed him, feeling she could handle her first case herself and prove to Ma'am she didn't need a partner. Until she made a vital mistake that nearly cost her her life. But Reese protected her, taking a bullet for her, and then took the ass chewing from Control for her. Shaw never had anyone do that for her before. Not even during her Marine days, she always looked out for herself. And since then; she trusted him and they were equal partners and became friends. Shaw felt territorial over that. Reese was her first and only friend she ever had, an older brother of sorts, and she would disfigure anyone that hurt him.

"So what room are we anyway?" John asked dejected, as they finally got their sea-passes.

Shaw looked. "We're in one of the staterooms with a fancy balcony," she answered.

"Balcony?—I'm shocked the bureau shelled out the cash to get us one of those," he murmured as he followed her lead to find their cabin. Unlike most of the passengers who handed over their luggage for it to be delivered to their room, they opted to carry on all their bags. Carefully concealed in their bags were newly developed weaponry that would not show up during the ship's security screening and not something they wanted accidentally discovered by some nosy worker.

Posing as a man on his honeymoon meant shorts, flip-flops, swim trunks, and tank-tops. He felt uncharacteristically out of his element wearing black mesh shorts, a stark white tank-top, black flip-flops, and sunglasses. John felt naked without his gun on his person. He looked ridiculous but not as bad as Shaw. Shaw, who preferred black tees or long sleeve shirts with black pants, was wearing a top that looked like a rainbow had a baby. It was bright and un-Shaw like. She was wearing a touristy looking straw hat with white-denim shorts that barely reached the tops of her thighs and pink flip-flops with faux gems decorating the straps. When he saw her climb out her car at the airport he had been sure that she was not Shaw. There just was no way until he saw the murderous look on her face, daring him to say something, then and only then, did he believe it was Shaw in front of him.

Shaw shrugged. "We're posing as newlyweds on our honeymoon, they had to shell out the cash to make it look good, or we would have all been lame butlers like Donnelly." she muttered in reply.

John chuckled faintly when he heard Donnelly sigh loudly over the connection. He followed Shaw as they lugged their luggage behind them and after a while of not finding their room, he realized Shaw had no clue where she was going. "Snookums, do you know where our room is or not?" he teased.

"Shut up. I'll find it."

"Maybe we should go this way." he said but it was met with her lip lifting in a snarl.

"I can find the damn room, _snookums_!" she said.

He swallowed a laugh. "And I thought it was only men who didn't like asking for directions." he commented dryly. But he let Shaw figure it out herself. After walking the length of the damn ship before they finally managed to find their cabin, at the very aft of the ship, which at that point felt like it was miles from where they had embarked from.

John opened the door for them, entering after her and closed the door as they looked around, both leaving their luggage near the door. "Not bad," he murmured.

Shaw nodded in agreement, eyeballing the balcony, then the queen size bed. "Not bad at all. Better than some of our other assignments, besides the fact that we have to pretend to be married. Monogamy is not for me, even pretending." Shaw said as she flung the hat off her head as if it assaulted her. It would not have surprised him if she had gone over and stomped it into oblivion.

"No, it certainly isn't," John agreed as he looked around.

Shaw looked at him. "It would get so damn boring having sex with one person for the rest of your life."

"Not if you meet the 'one.'"

She snorted. "There is no 'one' out there for you. Don't tell me that John Reese believes in soul-mates and true love. It's bullshit."

"I would have agreed with you a few years ago."

Shaw jumped onto the bed resembling the child she acted like at times. She bounced on it a few times. "So I'm guessing that you had some good pussy that changed your mind?" she said with a smirk.

He cocked a brow. "Sex wouldn't change my mind on such things, Shaw. I have had good sex before," and that was true. But no woman compared to his one night with Joss. Not Jessica, not the nameless women before Jessica, and not the couple women after Joss. Zoe and Iris didn't even realize that he was unconsciously comparing them to a woman that they never were going to be able to measure up to. It was unfair and the sex had been sub-par for him. Not for them but for him it had been…until he resorted to imagining the woman he was with was the tender, caring, beautiful, and intelligent Joss.

"So what did change your mind?" Shaw asked. He couldn't put it in words but that night with Joss changed him. There was something between them, a connection, and for a long time it frightened him. Frightened him enough to stay away, to use Jessica as an excuse as to why he couldn't go in search for her. Now...even if he wanted to go find her in New York which wouldn't be hard if she was still living at the same place, with so much time having passed surely Joss had moved on. Joss was too beautiful and too intelligent to not have someone. And the thought of going to only see her happy with someone else was too much because he had no one to blame but himself. "I'm hungry!" Shaw announced, evidently growing uninterested in the conversation which he was grateful of.

He rolled his eyes. "When aren't you hungry?" he muttered.

"Feed your wife!" she demanded.

"Feed yourself."

Shaw glared at him. "For being a pretend husband, you suck," she complained as she rolled off the bed. He flung her a bag of Doritos that he had in his carryon and she grinned happily, tearing into the bag with impatience.

"I sure hope they provisioned this ship with extra food with you on board. I read that you can get 24 room service and you're going to exhaust the poor guys that'll be delivering." he muttered.

Shaw looked at him and maybe he shouldn't have mentioned that because he could see her eyes lighting up and could almost see the drool beginning to form. But it was time to get down to business. "Donnelly, are you still there?" John asked over their connection.

" _Yea, sorry, I was helping this really nice woman and her kid. Her daughter is really cute, reminds me of mine. Ms. Joss is a nice woman, friendly, and beautiful; much easier on the eyes than Mr. Wendell who has more back hair than I have on my head_."

Shaw made a face of disgust. "I didn't know they let wildebeests on cruises?"

"Shaw," John warned and she shrugged. Sometimes it was hard coaching Shaw on how to be human. He focused back on Donnelly and what the man said. He mentioned Joss and he flashed to his Joss, to her in the throes of passion, and he shifted as his body responded immediately to the suggestion. "Donnelly, when can you get here to discuss the case?" he asked, forcefully pushing her from his mind.

" _I'll have a break in a half hour_."

"Be at our stateroom then."

" _Sure_."

John nodded and muted Donnelly, turning to look at Shaw who was stuffing a handful of Doritos in her mouth. She crumpled the empty bag and flung it in the wastepaper basket in the corner of the room.

She turned to look at him. "What do we do while we wait?" she asked, muffled, as bits of Doritos popped out of her mouth.

John shrugged. "Unpack, I guess."

* * *

AN: Ta-da...and I wonder who could have been behind the reason for John being the ONLY one that could do this job on this cruise ;D I had to include Shaw and Donnelly. I think this is going to be my first story that incorporates his character :) Fun! Okay next chapter is;

 **Chapter 3: A Doppelgänger?**

See very small hints in these titles :) Thanks for reading!


	4. Ch 3: A Doppelgänger?

_**AN: Once again the italics at the beginning is a flashback :)**_

* * *

" _I don't want morning to come," Joss whispered as she lounged, snuggled up against John, their legs intertwined, his fingers stroking her bare ass while hers flitted across his lower abdomen, tracing absently a scar she found there._

 _Because then the real world would set back in: this man would leave and she would never see him again. She'd then go to work with gritty eyes because she had been up all night talking about everything under the sun and having amazing-soul-leaving-the-body-meeting-heaven type sex. After work she'd end up heading over to her mother's place to pick up her son, plastering a fake smile to hide the fact that she was tired and upset because a man she had shared an amazing night with was gone. And tonight wasn't just good sex because they were connected on a physical and sexual level, that was for sure, but they were also connected on an emotional level. Joss never told anyone about her fears of not being enough for her son now that he'd hit his teenage years. Of what seeing dead body after dead body did to her, or how she'd cry for the children that were murdered. He had just listened, held her, and encouraged her. John had even gotten into the act of sharing bits and pieces, but nothing tangible, mainly everything he told her was from his time in the Army. But the little she did learn made her realize her instincts were correct about this man. Listening to him talk about an Op to save a civilian and one of their own that were kidnapped by insurgents, taking two bullets for them during the escape, and still not slowing down until they were safe, left her wanting to hear more and make love to him again. Not many would willingly sacrifice their own life to save a complete stranger._

 _She never had this before. Never had a man to talk to like this, wanting to open up and share everything within such a short time of knowing him. She didn't trust readily or easily, yet she trusted John and she didn't even know his damn last name yet. Though to be fair she hadn't really asked for it either. She never had a man that could bring her such passion and need, she knew that she was never going to meet someone like him again and she was angry that they were only given this one night. One night wasn't long enough and she wasn't entirely sure if a lifetime with John would be. And that thought alone frightened and excited her at the same._

 _John swallowed hard as he stared up at the ceiling, wanting to lie to her or just ignore her comment completely. But the way she said it so wistfully made him want to acknowledge what she said. "Neither do I, Joss. You, are making it hard for me to leave in the morning," he admitted._

 _She perched herself up so she could stare into those eyes that she felt like she was born to gaze into. "So why not stay?" she asked hopeful._

 _He shook his head. "I can't," for one thing he needed to get back to home in D.C. and work. And secondly; he couldn't give her what she needed. And right now he wanted to be selfish because he couldn't bear to stay in New York much longer, not when Jessica was buried here. He was only here to be best man for Harold and Grace's wedding. He needed more time. It was only two months since learning of Jessica's fate; Harold and Grace both told him he needed to grieve. He was stuck in the denial stage; that he was alive and she wasn't. And he had known that before falling into this woman's bed. This was a mistake…a mistake he shouldn't have made but couldn't regret doing because Joss was so unlike any woman he ever met, including Jessica. There was something about her that spoke to him on a far different level deep inside._

" _Why not?—I don't believe that tonight is only sex."_

 _He stared into her intelligent eyes. She was too smart for her own good. "It's not," he whispered the admission which seemed to excite her further at the vindication. "But I can't stay. This was a mistake; I'm sorry, Joss, I should go now," he said, leaving off…'before we get in too deep.' John was the type of man that when he fell he fell hard and fast. He did the same thing with Jessica and now here he was falling for Joss. He stubbornly refused to follow that line of thinking, shutting his mind down completely._

" _No, don't leave, please…if you won't give me more, than I want the rest of tonight," she said fiercely as she lifted up and straddled him. She was angry with herself for ruining the mood and she wanted to recapture it. They had a few more hours before the sun came up and she wanted to spend it making love and talking to him more, in that order. "I don't regret this night and neither do you. I just regret not meeting you at the right time in your life."_

 _He reached up brushing her hard nipples with his fingers. "Me too…"_

" _So let's focus on the here and now. Not the past, not tomorrow, not a week or even a month from now. Just right this second…and how you make me feel, John," she murmured before lowering to press a warm kiss to his lips, then settled her mouth on his neck. She grinned as she felt him stirring to life against her butt. "And how I make you feel," she added huskily against his hot skin._

 _He groaned as she reached behind her and grabbed a hold of him._

* * *

John allowed Donnelly in their stateroom. He closed the door, talking softly with Donnelly as Shaw exited the bathroom. Donnelly eyed her and burst out into a deep and nasally laughter. John stepped forward between them, reaching out to snag Shaw's forearm to keep her from charging forward to tear the man apart.

It didn't deter Donnelly though as he said laughingly; "She looks like she's wearing something my daughter would scribble on paper."

John eyed Shaw. "You deserved that for the crotchless panties comment," he murmured lowly, Shaw didn't seem to care. "I'll order you something from the room service if you forget about murdering Donnelly," he bartered. Shaw looked up and curtly nodded, the homicidal look on her face fading a little at the thought of getting food, and he let go of her arm. He set his gaze on Donnelly, addressing their third wheel; "Yes, Shaw looks ridiculous, shall we move on?" he murmured.

"Hey!" Shaw growled.

John smirked at her. "You do and you know it," he retorted.

"Yea, you're right," she grumbled her reluctant agreement as she eyed herself.

Donnelly sighed. "Must be nice to be on her good side," he muttered under his breath. John hid a snort and barely contained his question of: what good side? Shaw didn't mean to be so ornery. It was just her, thanks to her personality disorder. And being one of the only things that Shaw cared about wasn't always a blessing. He shuddered; their last outing to get drinks together had been a disaster. Three ladies tried flirting with him until they left in tears, thanks to Shaw's laser-sharp tongue, no matter how many times he told her to shut up. Not that he would have taken any of them up on their crystal clear offer to share a bed with him. But Shaw wouldn't let him let the women down gently himself. She admitted to never having a friend before and she sure the hell had no idea about boundaries or decorum, hell she didn't even have good table manners.

Donnelly shook his head and got to business. "So what do we have?—my break is fifteen minutes and it took me about ten to figure out where your room…I mean your cabin, was. I need to be back right on the dot for when we set sail. And don't forget to go to the lifeboat drill, we need to blend in," he instructed and Shaw made a face.

"What did Ma'am tell you?" John asked, not wanting to repeat any information since they only had about five minutes to talk.

He shrugged. "Not much. The only information I was provided with was my alias, job, and a few basics so I can actually sort of do this job without calling out the fact that I don't belong here. I was told you two would brief me on the ship," Donnelly supplied.

Shaw stared straight ahead. "Wait until you hear our case!—they are wasting Reese and I on this. Even you could have handled this rudimentary case, Donnelly; why the bureau is wasting us on it makes no fucking sense!" Shaw complained as she dramatically dropped onto the bed.

John actually agreed with Shaw on this but there wasn't much they could do since Control shafted them with the less than desirable case. Perhaps to some of their co-workers a week on a cruise ship soaking up the sun would have been ideal. But not for him and Shaw, they had been in a middle of something with far greater importance and John was a little testy about being yanked off it for this. He had argued with Ma'am for nearly twenty minutes until she pulled her trump card that went along the lines of: 'I'm your superior, do as I say, or you can find yourself new job' and John shut up immediately. He lived for his job. Ma'am then forced him to brief Shaw on their assignment as punishment for arguing with her because everyone in the bureau knew how Shaw was, knew the only one she responded to was him, and they damn well knew she was going to be apoplectic when she learned their assignment. And Shaw did not disappoint.

He moved over and grabbed the manila folder sitting on their laptops and guns, sliding out a photo of a pretty red-headed woman. "Meet Selma Gordon-Wixom, she's the daughter of New York Senator Richard Gordon, she's a human-rights and environmental activist."

Donnelly took the photo. "Pretty, much better looking than Senator Gordon. I think I'm going to regret asking this question but I have to ask anyway: why are we here about to get tans?"

John sighed. Shaw, however, was the one to answer, "Newlywed Selma is receiving death threats for her tree-hugging ways. She blocked a blockbuster deal that cost millions in lost revenue because the forest they wanted to bulldoze, to create one of the most expensive and exclusive country club in New York, housed endangered species. Gordon-Wixom fought in court proving the animals were on the endangered species list and the court sided with her shutting the mega multi-million dollar deal down. Selma pissed off a lot of fat old men with small penises for daring to care more about the environment than their bottom line."

John picked up the narrative. "Senator Gordon and Ma'am apparently go way back and are old friends. Selma just married Nigel Wixom, a billionaire philanthropist, and are on their honeymoon." he said as he slid out a photo of the billionaire. The guy looked like he would be a friend of Finch's. "Senator Gordon requested additional security for his daughter just in case any of the threats are credible and wanted it kept quiet. He doesn't want his daughter disturbed or to know we are keeping an eye on her; hence why we are undercover," he finished the tale.

Donnelly looked at them in disgruntled shock. "Wait. Are you telling me that we are nothing more than glorified babysitters for the next seven days?" he demanded and John nodded his head. "I was tugged off a drug smuggling ring for this?"

Shaw sat up on the bed. "What about us?! We were looking into an anti-government group in Chicago who we were close to taking down when we got reassigned; Moss and Hersch got to take over so we can play Mary Poppins!" she whined.

"Not to mention we were given the cover of newlyweds so we could strike up a conversation with the Wixoms and double date. Apparently the Wixoms are very sociable and like to spend time with other couples," John mumbled.

Donnelly laughed in disbelief. "And Ma'am chose you and Shaw for this assignment?—two of the least talkative agents in the bureau. Shaw can't carry a conversation that doesn't include cussing and insults. She doesn't have a nice bone in her body," he said and Shaw shrugged in response. "And you, Reese, no offense but you are clumsy in social settings," Donnelly muttered. John nodded because the man was telling the truth. He was clumsy in social settings. He had a hard enough time finding anyone he could be himself with, and more often than naught he was undercover, so he had to be someone else and rarely spoke unless spoken too first. And John didn't understand why Control stuck them on this anymore than Donnelly did but he was going to work the case to the best of his ability. "So seven days of babysitting and being at passengers' beck and call. Great!" Donnelly finished sarcastically.

"Never said this assignment was going to be easy," John muttered with a look at Shaw. Seven days of posing as her husband. They hung out together a lot, which was true, but they each could go home to their own apartments at the end of the day. This undercover work required them to stay in the same room together.

"Don't look at me like that! I have to play your twit wife; my alias, Sam Jones, is a housewife while my big strong _man_ makes all the money as a lame banker," she complained loudly.

John laughed softly at her green face at playing a housewife. "Well at least it beats out pretending to be a yoga instructor," he commented.

Shaw made a face. "Not really, because during that undercover sting I got to break some backs as I twisted them into pretzels. All I get to do now is talking about the size of your dick and how horny you are for me."

John exhaled in annoyance. "No, you don't have to say any of that," he snarled as he followed Donnelly to the door.

Donnelly laughed. "Okay, maybe the grass isn't always greener on the other side."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Shaw demanded as they all exited the room together.

* * *

Joss sat on a comfy beige sofa with her daughter on her lap as Maddie happily drank the strawberry slushie that Don, as he introduced himself, got for her. It was nearly now all melted since her daughter drank it slowly, but she didn't seem to mind. Don was a nice man and she was highly uncomfortable about having him or any other butler on staff at her beck and call. A butler service was not something she really required. When he offered to unpack for her, Joss emphatically said no. There was no way she was allowing a complete stranger to see her underwear! It was one thing when he turned down her bed for her and she didn't mind when Don got her baby this slushie, but no way in hell was she letting anyone unpack her undies!

Joss looked around the lavish and luxurious Royal Suite her friends got her. It was elegantly designed, very roomy, and posh. She felt almost wrong for being in something as amazing as this. She and Maddie weren't posh and Joss could almost guarantee her daughter was going to spill something on this nice beige concentric circle designed carpet. She looked behind her and shook her head at the dining room, then beside her at the large, at least 50 inch TV, in the entertainment center that would be a great way to relax Maddie after a day of fun. She'd fall asleep instantly once she put on a movie.

Her eyes landed on the veranda in front of her. It was private and amazing. The views were to die for. She was going to ream Harold and Grace a new ass for getting her this sort of sophisticated and stylish room. It had to have been pricy as all hell!

"Ouchy!"

Joss glanced down at her daughter. "What's wrong baby?" she asked and Maddie smacked her forehead.

"Brain freeze!"

Joss nodded as she wrapped her arms tight around Maddie and hugged her tight. "Let me warm you up," she said before kissing her daughter's head and Maddie had no complaints as she was smothered in her arms. Maddie was a very affectionate little girl and such a sweet and caring little thing too. When she took her daughter to the playground a few weeks ago, another little girl fell and got hurt so Maddie rushed over to help the little girl up.

Once her daughter started drinking her slushie again she realized the brain freeze subsided and she relaxed her tight hold on her daughter before reaching forward to grab the daily bulletin which listed what the upcoming excursions were. Joss lifted her eyebrows as she read through it. Wow. There was a lot to do, even on the day you boarded, she didn't know why that surprised her but it did. For today she decided she and Maddie were just going to chill, taking in the ship, and maybe find one of the many pools and relax there. Maddie would have a blast as she just loved to play in the water. The swim lessons that Leila and Maddie enjoyed last year paid off in spades. Joss made a mental note to ask Don about this kid's club that Grace had told her about. She would love for her daughter to get to do some activities with other little boys and girls, while it gave her a chance to sit in the sun and relax, to have a little 'me' time alone, maybe go up to the spa area and get a nice massage.

Joss set the paper down and reached out to the tray on the dark-wooded coffee table in front of her legs for a plump and ripe strawberry. She flashed to the one night with John when he had admitted to having a weakness for chocolate covered strawberries, and she banished the thought away as quickly as it came. Evidently they gave a daily fruit platter, along with afternoon tea, and in-suite espresso and cappuccino. But Joss longed for simple and normal coffee. She made a mental to talk to ask Don about that the next time she saw him.

She handed her baby a strawberry. "Thank you, mommy," Maddie said immediately. Joss smiled as she kissed the top of her head.

"You're welcome, sweetheart," she murmured.

Maddie slowly ate the strawberry as if cherishing the thing. Her daughter loved strawberries which was a very much John thing. Joss herself loved grapes and oranges.

As they were entering their suite Joss had met the nice newlywed couple Selma and Nigel Wixom in the Royal Suite next door to hers. Selma was beautiful with long red hair and mermaid green eyes, while her husband was nondescript, but looked like a walking bag of money. He was nice and the couple reminded her so much of Harold and Grace, just younger. Selma looked at Nigel with so much love and it was very much reciprocated by Nigel. Joss reassured the honeymooning couple that Maddie was very much a good little girl and that their oasis away would not be interrupted by them. Selma and Nigel were very sweet and thanked her for the sentiment but weren't worried about it. Joss chuckled to herself thinking that newlyweds weren't going to be sleeping all that much anyway. When her and Paul were on theirs; they sure the hell didn't.

She lifted Maddie up and settled her on the sofa to get to her feet. Maddie kicked her legs as she finished the strawberry and then went back to sipping what was left of her slushie. Joss turned the TV on finding a movie for her curious daughter to watch to keep her occupied while she unpacked their things before they went roaming and exploring the ship. Maddie's eyes zoned in on the Pixar movie. Joss turned and moved to where their suitcase and her carryon rested on the bed where Don had placed them when they were delivered to the room.

Joss began unpacking their clothes, placing them in the provided dresser, truly grateful that this room was this nice. The bed was very large so she wouldn't run the risk of accidentally smothering her baby when they slept, so she was going to let Maddie sleep beside her. The suite had lots of space for Maddie to play in, not that they would spend a lot of time in the room. But at night when she wanted to relax them both before bed, they had some space to do so. Joss hurriedly unpacked as surely soon it was time to set sail and they had a lifeboat drill as well. She understood that the cruise line wanted everyone to understand and be ready just in case. She just wanted to go out and see them off. But safety first, then the enjoyment of watching them set sail. She knew Maddie would love it.

Joss glanced out of the bedroom to check to see her darling little girl was in the same spot as she had a tendency to go exploring and immediate thoughts of her gorgeous father invaded her consciousness, leaving her a little breathless. She had been thinking about John more and more lately, it was a little disconcerting. Like thoughts of their night and the reality of what they were doing during that one night. Of the reality that they were falling for each other more and more each passing second with no hope of stopping the slippery slide down.

Joss mentally snapped herself out of it, trying to focus on the task at hand: unpacking their clothes. She didn't want to think about him right now. At night, when she was alone in bed, that was fine, because her body easily responded to the mental image of his and grew aroused so disturbingly easy and she could do something about the pressure in between her legs. Now she couldn't. She slammed the dresser drawer shut when the last article of clothing was placed inside, and along with it her thoughts on John.

She turned around and exited the bedroom to find her daughter sitting still on the sofa, merrily swinging her legs, eyes on the TV looking like the cutie-pie she was.

"Come on Maddie, let's go take in the sight of us setting sail!" she said, hiding her flustered feeling behind a smile for her daughter, desperately wanting to distract herself from the racy thoughts, the crushing yearning to find the man that fathered her baby, and pick up where they left off. It was the same intense yearning she had for the past near five years since she met him. When was she ever going to get it through her head that finding John was impossible?

* * *

This was going to end badly. John and Shaw had managed to arrive at one of the many lifeboat drill locations, nearest their cabin. Afterwards they would search for the Wixoms to gain eyes and ears on them. But the lifeboat drill was torture and Shaw's very short fuse was not meant for tedious and dull things such as this.

His eyes found Shaw's and if looks could kill the instructor, the poor crew member would be swimming with the sharks. "I'm going to rip his arms off and shove them down his throat to get him to stop talking," she said lowly, looking like a snake coiling itself for a strike. "Everyone knows how to put on a life vest. It isn't rocket science."

"Shaw, relax, it's only a few more minutes."

"I'd rather drink cyanide than listen to this man talk. It would be a quicker death."

"Sh-sweetie…" he warned as he shot blinding smiles with lots of teeth as some men and women were looking her way at her growling, her words, and her loud annoyed sighs. "You're going to oust our cover before we even set sail," he said quietly for her ears only as he wrapped an arm around her and hugged her to him hard.

"I don't care. All I have to do is snap his neck and then there will be blissful silence, everyone will thank me for killing this sad sack…" John frowned as she continued on as she received nervous looks from her stated death threats. They most likely thought she was unstable and were going to talk to one of the staff.

John sighed, he did the only thing he could think of to shut her up so she didn't blow their cover. He leaned down and kissed her. Oh god, it was even worse than imagined. John tried to hide his grimace at the awkward and unwanted kiss. It was like kissing his sister. Shaw, for her part, stood there frozen as her lips didn't move. John had bad kisses before, especially when he was a teenager and was surprised at his locker by a girl who had a crush on him and she nearly chipped his tooth, but this was worse. Or the lady that licked him during an undercover assignment back before he even knew Shaw. He'd take the sloppy kiss that resembled a St. Bernard over this. Kissing Shaw hadn't even made the list of things he ever wanted to do in his lifetime and now that he had, he couldn't wait until the agony was over. It wasn't Shaw really, it was the fact that there was just nothing there between them except friendship. When the drill ended he eased back and Shaw looked at him horrified, as much as he felt.

John rubbed his lips. That was by far the worst thing he had ever done in his life.

Shaw gave a weird half smile, half grimace at men and women grinning ear to ear at them until they turned their backs and they weren't the focus anymore. Shaw's face suddenly turned angry as she punched him in the arm…hard. "I need to chug Listerine right about now, thanks to you!" she growled.

"You think I don't? Next time when I say you're going to blow our cover, shut up for both our sakes," he said darkly.

They grew quiet as they walked together before Shaw began talking about what food; she was debating on ordering from the 24 hour room service.

John drew up short when he looked off in the distance and saw a woman walking in short denim shorts that fitted over her nice derriere tightly; a woman that looked like Joss, his Joss, from behind. His body reacted as he recalled how well he acquainted himself with Joss's backside during their one night together. John licked his lips at the thought.

Shaw paused, realizing Reese wasn't listening to her and not walking beside her anymore. She looked back at him and saw him staring straight ahead. She followed his gaze and saw nothing of interest in front of them besides several men and women. She looked back at him.

"What the hell are you looking at?" Shaw demanded.

Shaw watched as Reese jerked, as if she jolted him out of some weird trance. He blinked. "It's not her."

"Who's not her?"

"No one, Shaw. Never mind, let's go try to find and meet the Wixoms," he muttered as he turned and started walking in the opposite direction they had been going. For one fleeting moment he had thought the woman with her back to him had been his Joss. But there was no way it could be her. The woman with the nice butt, like Joss's, was walking hand in hand with a young girl; his Joss only had a grown son.

Shaw shrugged as she followed Reese.

* * *

Joss walked slowly with her daughter hand in hand to one of the promenades to watch them set sail. They had missed the drill because of Maddie's announcement that she had to go potty. Oh well, she knew what to do and Don could fill her in on anything they may have missed. She had been debating on going to deck 15 because of the sunset bar to see them off, but decided against it and gone to one of the other open decks to see them off. Maybe it wouldn't be so busy. Lucky for them she found a nice spot so they could see the shoreline. But while she was walking there with Maddie, she felt a tingling feel on her backside, like someone was watching her. It was an odd sensation because it hadn't felt unwanted. It felt like a caress. She now knew she was losing her mind. It only got worse when she turned around, and she thought she had seen her John because the retreating form of a man way back from her was tall and looked like him from behind with that sweet V spot, but he was so far away so she couldn't be for sure. But certainly the man she thought was her John was someone else. It was just wishful thinking on her end.

She turned her gaze back out to the ocean and picked her daughter up so she could see the shoreline too, as they began setting sail directly on time. Joss held her daughter firmly before waving at the dock. "Wave goodbye, Maddie."

"Bye-bye shore!" Maddie called out.

Joss blew kisses and Maddie giggled and did so too. "Bye shore, see you in a week!" Joss echoed her baby's sentiment. This vacation was definitely needed; she was stressed and was seeing things. This would relax her and recharge her. When she got back she was going to kiss Harold and Grace for being such wonderful friends to her.

* * *

AN: You guys are getting answers slowly but surely. I know you want John and Joss come face to face soon. You won't have to wait much longer for it. Next chapter is:

 **Chapter 4: A Blast From the Past**

Thanks for reading!


	5. Ch 4: A Blast From the Past

After the disastrous lifeboat drill John and Shaw had searched for the Wixoms for about twenty minutes without any luck, so they decide to head back to their stateroom, setting up their laptops to receive the footage and audio as it became clear why they needed their third wheel; Donnelly. Browsing their notes they had on Selma and Nigel Wixom, they learned that the newlyweds were in the Royal Suites which utilized butler services. Donnelly managed to persuade a co-worker to let him turn down the Wixom's bed, so he could plant a hidden web-cam and bug in the room.

" _Please tell me you're getting this, there's no telling how much longer I have until the Wixoms come back to their room, they are newlyweds after all,"_ Donnelly muttered as he was just finishing up setting the small web-cam hidden in the frame of the painting resting on the wall. It got most of the room and what they couldn't see, they'd be able to hear an intruder or anything suspicious with the bug planted in the potted plant near the balcony door.

Shaw frowned as she got an eyeful of Donnelly's face and John leaned back in response to it. "Did you last trim your nose hair during the Clinton Administration?" she sneered before getting a smirk on her face as she glanced at Reese. "Which is about the last time Reese had sex!"

Donnelly immediately grabbed at his nose and glared into the web-cam. " _A simple 'yes' would have sufficed,_ " he grumbled over their connection as he stepped back so his face didn't fill the screen.

John glared at Shaw for her comment about his sex life. She smirked. "Oh come on, I don't count dry as toast, Iris; sex between you two probably was about as hot as summer in Antarctica," she sneered.

Shaw hated the woman the moment she was forced to be nice to her. Shaw wasn't nice or polite, and hated having to pretend to be either one. Reese was the only one that understood that and he handled her attitude and dished it right back. They met Iris Campbell during a mandatory seminar on the awareness of mental health. The ginger had flirted hard with Reese and it made her want to puke as he agreed to a date. She didn't know why; Reese hadn't been all that interested. But men did tend to think with their dicks and Reese was a man, though usually a smart one. Since that ill-fated love affair Shaw decided to handle Reese's sorry love life for him and scare off the ones that sucked and weren't good enough for him, which was every single bitch. Not a single one had the balls to tell her to go fuck herself…which meant they weren't good enough for Reese.

"Careful, Shaw, say things like that and I could just turn away room service one of these times," John threatened.

Shaw narrowed her eyes. "You wouldn't," she said but he didn't look away, letting her see just how serious he was. He knew how to get Shaw to cooperate. "Fuck, you would starve me, you heartless prick," she muttered good-naturedly, knowing when she was beat, and he grinned evilly. "Okay, you win, Reese; no more cracks about your sex life or lack thereof," she caved in.

" _Reese, one of these days you are going to teach me how you handle Shaw!_ " Donnelly murmured in aggravation.

"Handle me?—there is nothing to handle, Donnelly. I like Reese. I don't like you," Shaw stated sharply which drew an exhale from the man.

"Don't take it to heart, Donnelly; Shaw hates the entire human race," John commented as he was only half paying attention to their squabble.

"That's because, aside from you, Reese, everyone else blows!" Shaw announced.

Donnelly spoke subdued, " _This is going to be a very long week_." John nodded in agreement, tell him about it. Not only did he get relegated to babysitting duty when he could be in Chicago right now, stopping an anti-government group from carrying out their plot, he had to listen to these two complain about each other the entire time. " _Is audio coming through okay?_ "

"Just fine," John agreed with the noise cancelling headphones on. "If anyone somehow manages to get into their room we'll know about it."

"And we'll know how often newlyweds actually have sex," Shaw added.

John rolled his eyes. "I thought monogamy wasn't for you, Shaw."

"It's not but I am interested in knowing when their sex life takes a nosedive or is it immediately after the: 'I do's!'

" _Now I got to turn down their bed so if they come back there is a reason why I'm in here_ ," Donnelly said before he disappeared from the camera's view.

There was a knock on the door and John rolled his eyes as Shaw's face lit up. He was never going to understand how for such a small woman had a never-ending appetite, she ate more than he did and he was a foot taller than her and weighed at least seventy more pounds. He shook his head as he took the headphones off and sauntered over allowing Shaw enough time to close the laptops and hide their guns from sight.

John let the man inside. "Hey, Pete," he greeted, unfortunately having seen the man three times in the span of an half hour, already knowing the man's name.

"Hey again, Mr. Jones!—I haven't had to deliver so many plates of food to one room in a span of an hour before." the man spoke jovially as he wheeled in the desserts Shaw ordered.

"My wife has a very healthy appetite," John assured him as he tipped the man.

Shaw smirked. "Well I have to keep well fed since my husband and I are newlyweds. Gotta keep energized for this one, all he wants is sex, sex, sex," she said with a motion of her head at Reese. "I try to eat lots of sweets so when he eats my…"

"Sam, my love, stop talking," John commanded speaking over her to drown her out.

The worker eyed her appreciatively and then looked at Reese with a male smirk. "You're a very lucky man."

John almost laughed at that, but barely kept a straight face as he just nodded his head. "He knows it, trust me; he shouts it to the rooftop," Shaw assured him.

John just kept a very wide smile on his face, hiding the fact that he wanted to strangle Shaw. The worker exited the cabin. Shaw stuffed her face with the chocolate truffles and he eyed her darkly. "What?—you said no jokes about your sex life, you said nothing about our imaginary one."

He sighed. "If they think we're having sex all the time it actually explains why we keep ordering room service, otherwise they'll think you're pregnant." he muttered and Shaw actually shuddered in response to that.

" _Oh god, don't even joke about that, Reese; could you imagine a mini one of her out in the world. Please Shaw never procreate, one of you is enough_ ," Donnelly said.

John chuckled and Shaw looked deadly, Donnelly might finally be getting how to handle Shaw; stop letting her get away with every comment.

They sat down in front of the laptops watching an empty room as Donnelly left. Things were quiet in their room besides the sound of Shaw hoofing food down her throat as she destroyed the food cart. It was gone in minutes.

"I'm bored," Shaw announced as she fidgeted beside him. "You take the first nerd shift. I'm going to go out and try to find the Wixoms to get eyes on them," she murmured as she climbed to her feet, raiding the carryon to pull out more wiretaps.

"Where are you going to look first?"

"Places newlyweds are probably at; I'll look into Bistro on Five, if they're not there then I'll try Café al Bacio and Gelateria, then I'll try the Passport Bar or the Cellar Masters,"Shaw said.

"So basically you are going to some of the restaurants to eat and then hit the bars to get a couple drinks," John said dryly.

"Yea, we are on a cruise Reese. We need to think like vacationers."

John shook his head as she whirled on her heel and hurried for the door. He didn't really mind. Shaw worked her ass off and did deserve a little relaxation too. And taking the first shift of surveillance wasn't all too hard. John wasn't looking to partake in any kind of vacationing or relaxing. He was here to do his job, even if it was remedial.

John was watching the screen of an empty room as his mind shifted to Joss. He had been thinking about her a lot lately. Possibly because he wished he had done things differently, instead of letting fears keep a grip on him, breaking free of them and see what was truly between him and the lovely detective from New York. But he hadn't and he had to live with the regrets of his inaction. And all he was ever going to have was memories of their night together. A night that probably shouldn't have happened because he had known that Joss wasn't the type of a woman who had casual sex and one night stands, yet he had agreed to go back with her to her place because he wanted to continue spending time with her. Yet he had taken her to bed where they engaged in sex over and over again.

John smiled as he thought about that night. Shaw asked him who was 'good pussy' but Joss was that and so much more. He hadn't met a woman that fit against him as perfectly as Joss did. He didn't share much of himself with anyone because he rarely met anyone that he could be himself around. But with Joss it had been different, he had shared with her more that night than he ever had in his entire life. For a long while he never could readily understand why he had shared as much as he had. But now since he had healed from the loss of Jessica and grown…yes, grown up emotionally, even this late in his life…he had realized it was because he met the woman. But it had taken him too damn long to figure it out and he lost out on something amazing because of his own insecurities. It was a tough pill to swallow.

But what if she was available? What if by some dumb blind luck that Joss was still available or single again and he was staying away from seeking her out because the idea of seeing her with another man could crush him? Maybe he was staying away because, once again, he was letting his insecurities rule him and he was tired of it. Joss had been easy to fall for, perhaps the landing wouldn't be as rough as he was imagining. Perhaps the fear of getting hurt was still sabotaging his chances of real happiness. Harold and Grace both spoke to him separately about there was no reward without risk. Maybe he would take a few days for himself and go to New York to go find that brownstone of hers, when he was finished with this assignment. Pangs of doubts immediately crept into his mind but he stubbornly pushed them aside as he still had seven days on this cruise to get through before he had to decide on whether or not to ask for time off.

Thoughts of Joss and his insecurities faded off to the background as Selma and Nigel Wixom entered their room. John sat up straighter as he listened to them talking happily. He smiled a little as he caught sight of them very much looking like a happy married couple in love. In fact they reminded him like Harold and Grace. Grace and Selma both had red hair though Grace had beautiful blue eyes, while Selma had bright green. Nigel was taller than Harold and didn't wear glasses. But his hair was thinning on top and he was a little heavier than Finch. Harold always jokingly teased that Grace was the beauty and he was the beast but there was nothing beastly about Harold Finch. The man was gentle, kind, and one of the best friends a man could ask for.

The happy pair disappeared out of the camera's view but he could still hear them talking. Both were excitedly chattering about going to Fortunes Casino before heading out to one of the restaurants. John tapped his earwig. "Shaw,"

" _What?_ "

"Where are you?"

" _Currently I'm looking for the Wixoms in Cellar Masters. But they are a no show, though this place has the good shit here_. _I'm having a great Pinot Noir, not cheap, but who cares, the FBI is picking up the tab_ ," she commented.

John rolled his eyes before speaking, "I know the Wixoms aren't there since they are in their room."

" _So you got it covered. I'm going to finish my drink before I start my nerd shift_."

"They are going to be heading to Fortunes Casino. Once they leave the room I'll head to the casino too, how about accompanying me."

" _Maybe then we can meet them and act like disgusting newlyweds that want to socialize. The bureau so doesn't pay me enough for this,"_ Shaw sneered.

John muted her during her bitch fest, before connecting with Donnelly to give him the heads up. "Hey Donnelly, I got eyes on the Wixoms finally. They are in their room as we speak but have plans on going to the Casino. Do you have any idea what deck that is on?"

" _Not a clue. But I could ask Demetrius for you. He's showing me the ropes because he knows I'm new here_."

"Please, and get back to me soon. The Wixoms are getting ready to go," John instructed before disconnecting with Donnelly. While he waited for the information he should go change too. He wasn't wearing mesh shorts and a tank-top to a casino.

John tugged on dressy black jeans and a dark blue dress shirt. He kept to black, blues, or white dress shirts with simple black suits. John wasn't splashy and just liked simple. He only ventured off once and chose to buy and wear a lavender colored dress shirt. The first and only time he wore it was for that evening coffee with Joss that led to an amazing night. But in his haste to make it to his flight on time because she nearly made him stay; he had tugged on his undershirt and forgot the dress shirt at Joss's. But it wouldn't have mattered anyways because he would never be able to wear that shirt again without thinking of her.

After hitting the restroom and washing up quickly. He sprayed on his cologne and exited the bathroom when his cell phone rang. He hurried to grab his it as it rested on the table. He picked it up and saw it was Finch.

He answered immediately. "Hey Finch, this isn't really a good time."

"No? Working again I take it."

"I am." John agreed as he settled the phone in between his shoulder and neck so he could pull on his socks and dress shoes. "Undercover, but what's up? Does Leila want to talk to me?"

"She always wants to talk to and see her Uncle John but Grace took Leila out to the movies to see Zootopia for the fourth time."

John's lips twitched into a smile. "Why didn't you join in the fun or after the third time it loses its luster?"

"I know the words before they're said, Mr. Reese." Harold said with a sigh and he chuckled.

"Your daughter loves animals. But if it's not Leila, what's up Finch?" he asked as he stood up ready to head to Fortunes Casino to go get eyes on the Wixoms. John frowned when Harold hesitated.

"How is everything?" he asked finally.

John narrowed his eyes. Harold sounded like he wanted to say something else but instead settled on that question. "Fine," John answered hesitantly, wondering what Harold called to talk about that he felt he needed to beat around the bush.

"Are you in your cabin?" Harold asked casually, too casually.

"Yea," he answered confused, before he stiffened immediately. Wait a minute. Wait a damn minute! "You said cabin." John said stiffly.

"Yes you said you were on a cruise," Harold murmured quickly.

"No I didn't. I never mentioned where I was. Because I wouldn't as I am undercover," John countered immediately. "How the hell did you know I was on a cruise, Harold?" he asked pointedly.

His friend paused. "Well…Senator Gordon and I are old friends; I actually was at Selma's christening when she was just a baby. I met Nigel Wixom while the two were dating, we are partners in an endeavor; he's a good man. And I was very pleased that Nigel and Selma fell in love and planned to get married," Harold said, sounding delighted.

But all John heard was the fact that Harold knew Senator Gordon; the Senator that wanted more security for his daughter on her honeymoon, the same Senator who was good friends with his superior Ma'am. "No…you didn't! Finch, you got me reassigned!" John stated angrily . Now it made sense why Shaw and he had gotten taken off their case in Chicago for this babysitting case. Because of Finch!

"I'm sorry, John, but I didn't intend for you to get reassigned," Harold admitted and John narrowed his eyes, trying to tell if his friend was lying or telling the truth. Usually Harold could lie worth his life but right now he couldn't tell if he was or not. It left him irritated. "Rich and I were speaking at Selma's wedding. He was very upset about the death threats that his daughter was receiving and how worried he was about her going on this upcoming cruise. I merely mentioned you and the fact that you are a well-respected FBI agent that piqued his interest and we spent a good twenty minutes talking about your credentials. Rich asked me if Leila needed protecting would I place her in your hands and I answered him truthfully: yes, I would hand you my daughter without a second thought."

"Finch, telling him that is as good as telling him to specifically request me!" he growled.

Harold chuckled. "Knowing Richard that is what I suppose he did when he went to speak with your superior," his friend agreed, sounding unperturbed by his anger. "Well, if Selma's death threats are just empty then view this cruise as a mini vacation John. You need one. You have been working so hard and not taking the time to enjoy life."

"Finch, you don't get to decide what's best for me. I'm your friend not your kid," John said, deciding he sounded reasonably cool especially since he was so angry he could see double.

"I will always worry about your well-being, John, as someone should. Life is passing you by as you work for others so they can enjoy their lives."

"My job is to protect others."

Harold sighed before responding, "Perhaps you shouldn't only live to work, John. I'll talk to you in a few days," he said and, with that before John could get an angry retort in edgewise, his best friend hung up.

John glared at his cell phone. "Wait until I get back from this cruise from hell!" he grumbled as he angrily pocketed his cell and stormed towards the door.

* * *

Joss casually glanced at her watch feeling languid and relaxed after that amazing massage, seeing she had another half hour before she would go pick up her daughter. After they had waved goodbye to the shore Joss escorted her baby back to their room to get changed into their swimsuits and go swimming. Her daughter had been ecstatic to go swimming and looked extra cute in her brand new hot pink one-piece that had ruffles around the waist, along with purple arm floaties. Maddie and Leila had gone together for swimming lessons last year but she was still too little to not have anything on to help keep her up afloat. She had changed into her cobalt colored bikini that had strings to tie: two on the top and two on the bottom. Joss had almost chosen a different swimsuit but she wasn't as self-conscious about the scar on her abdomen anymore. John helped with that.

They had gone up to the pool deck for a while and she played with Maddie in the pool before climbing out to watch her as she sat in the sun for a little while. Maddie had a ball acting like she was part fish as she nearly cried when mommy told her it was time to go. That was until she learned that she was going to go Deck 14 so she could be with other boys and girls her age to play and make things. Suddenly the pool had become second rate at the idea of getting to make a paper mache mask. Before going to the pool Joss had found and asked Demetrius, another of the staff that was a butler, who was sweet and knowledgeable that told her all about it. The kid's club was actually called the Fun Factory and Maddie would be placed with other kids her age. And they did all sorts of activities from: sports, to games, to crafts, music and karaoke, and treasure hunts. And it ran from 9 in the morning to 10 at night. Demetrius had also told her that they had babysitting for a low price so she could go solo for an evening and that her daughter would be safe and secure. It was nice of Demetrius to tell her about that particular amenity that they offered but she wasn't going to require the use of it.

When Joss had taken Maddie to where the Fun Factory was located Maddie didn't even give her a backward glance, immediately rushing over to the other group of kids already in the room. The making of the paper mache mask was just beginning and afterwards the kids were going to do sack races and first, second, and third places would win various prizes. Her daughter wasn't entirely athletic but she enjoyed playing and would do her best. Her little girl was very handy; she loved doing crafts and making things. But it helped having a creative master in Aunt Grace as both Maddie and Leila did lots of artsy stuff when they babysat for her. Maddie also loved baking with mommy. And then gram-gram was teaching her on how to sew, a trait that Taylor hadn't cared to learn, Joss thought with a chortle. Her momma had gotten Maddie all excited about 'graduating' to making her own clothing if she kept practicing. By the age of ten her daughter was going to be the next Martha Stewart!

Joss had left when she took the hint that Maddie wasn't even going to wave goodbye and gotten a massage and since then just walked the ship taking in the sights and the scenery. It was so beautiful. And while she was walking she received a text from Harold to go to Deck 8 and head to the very aft of the ship. She wasn't sure what he wanted her to see but she was following the instructions. Her thoughts slid back to her daughter. Her daughter was getting close to kindergarten age which left Joss a little sad. Her baby was growing up so fast. And growing up without her father; the tall, sexy man that starred in her dreams.

John.

She just wished one day she would see him again. Joss let her imagination and fantasy grow. She would be standing in the sea of other faceless men and women when she would hear her name: Joss, being called out by his sexy soft timber. Not unlike how he called out her name as he came deep inside her. She bet that second time they made love was the one that conceived Maddie. That second time something far deeper happened between them as they made love. The first time he had closed his eyes trying to hide from it, but the second time; he left them wide open and she saw deep into his soul. As they neared their climaxes neither one was able to drop the contact and then they both were exploding, gasping at the intensity, and holding each other as they rode out their mutual orgasms. Joss never had a simultaneous orgasm before. It was hot as hell.

But Joss drifted back to her fantasy of John finding her in the sea of nameless and faceless men and women walking right up to her to grab her cheeks, whisper her name, and kiss her, making her whole again. Joss groaned as she shook the fantasy away. How cheesy was she? Ugh, she needed to lay off the romance movies for a little while, they were filling her head with nonsense that would never happen.

Her senses went on high alert when she heard a door to a room open and close, seeing a man exiting his cabin. He had his back to her but that scent she immediately recognized. It was John's, it was spicy and masculine and a hint of something else that she had decided was all John so…no, it couldn't be him. It was just a phantom scent that her mind conjured up because she missed John. But to be sure, her eyes that were caressing the fine behind of the man in his dress pants slowly rose to the back of his head. She gaped: there was that sweet V, except it wasn't as dark as it once was because now there was some gray sprinkling back there too. Joss felt her body react to the man's in front of her.

He turned towards her and stopped dead in his tracks. And she felt like the world stopped spinning, everything else fell away, and her heart thundered. It was John, her John, his unforgettable blue eyes meeting hers. He looked just as shocked as she was as he just stared at her.

"John?" she whispered, nearly frightened he was a figment of her imagination. That he wasn't really here and the man she was gawking at was some old chubby man that she morphed into her sexy John.

"Joss," he breathed as if he was having the same trouble reconciling the fact that she was standing in front of him. But his voice had the ability to make her quiver inside. He took a hesitant step forward. "Joss," he repeated as if he was finally realizing the truth.

"John," she repeated this time too; stronger and with conviction.

She licked her lips as her eyes fell to his, recalling them on hers and they still looked impossibly soft as she knew them to be. John was truly standing before her in the flesh. He was here and she could tell him about Maddie, they could pick up where they left off, but this time go further and become a real family. Surely John had to be over his ghost by now. They just met at the wrong time of his life. Five years have come and gone, and the thing that was between them from their first meeting was still there so that had to mean something, and so did the jackhammering of her heart. No man could make her feel so much, as this man did. And that intense attraction between them that burned bright was alive and well, set aflame all over again as they came face to face. Joss felt her body crackle alive and begin to tingle in need of his hands, of his mouth, of his tongue, and his cock. Her sex began throbbing at the thought of having him buried deep inside her again. While her body yearned for his touch and love, her mind desired the emotional connection they shared. She wanted to ask him why he never came back to New York but it didn't really matter. As long as they could start their future together now she'd take it because she believed everything happens for a reason. There had to be a reason why they spent these last five years apart.

Her thoughts came crashing to a halt as her eyes fell on his hand, his left hand that had a simple gold band on his ring finger: a wedding band. Now she knew why he never came back to New York to pick up where they left off. Because he found someone else when he moved on from the dead woman and picked up the pieces of his heart. And their one night had just been one night for him.

"You're married," she whispered, her mouth turning as dry as a desert.

He blinked in confusion. "Excuse me?" he said as he shook his head a little, as if trying to shake thoughts free that were grabbing him.

Joss looked up deep into his blue eyes that have haunted her for five years before motioning at his hand, feeling crushed before saying; "You're married." It wasn't a question, it was a statement, an ending to her years of dreams.

* * *

AN: Ugh, I know another cliffie of sorts but I'm trying to get the length between updates shorter. Next chapter:

 **Chapter 5: You've Got Some 'Splainin to Do!**

Yes, an I Love Lucy reference...sort of, but very fitting of the theme of next chapter. Thanks for reading!


	6. Ch 5: You've Got Some Splanin to Do!

_**AN: I couldn't make you guys wait too long for the next update since that was a pretty mean cliffie, though I can't guarantee chapter 6 will be as quick. Once a week has worked for me since it's been a tad busy with helping ailing aunts and uncles, work, and helping cousins out. But I'm trying, and I wanted to take a moment and thank every guest reviewer that has taken the time to drop me a line since I can't give you a personal message to thank you guys, this is the best place :) Thank you to all you reviewers, you guys make me smile and I'm glad you enjoy the story so far XOX to everyone!**_

* * *

Shaw was bored to tears without Reese. She hit all the restaurants and bars she could get away with that could be considered as recon before learning from Reese that the Wixoms were heading for the Fortunes Casino. Not the first place she anticipated newlyweds to head. She had thought they would eat and then would head straight to the sack. So that must mean that she was correct, sex stopped the moment you said the 'I dos' and she so wished she had betted Reese over it. She would have made easy cash on that one.

She exited Cellar Masters and tried to connect with Reese but he didn't answer. Shaw shrugged. Most likely he was already at the casino and making contact with their targets. The very idea of double dating and making small talk gave Shaw the hives, but with Reese not answering that unfortunately left her the undesirable task of updating Donnelly on what was going on.

" _What is it Shaw?—my back is hurting from this job already! I can't believe I have seven days of this, all because of a maybe-threat that might never happen_ ," he complained.

Shaw rolled her eyes. "Baby!"

" _Well, Shaw, you got the cushy job of pretending to be Reese's wife; I wouldn't have minded that job. I kind of feel bad for Reese, drawing up the short end of the straws, having to pose as your husband._ "

Shaw smirked. "So you're saying you'd pose as a gay man married to Reese and let me do the manual labor?"

" _Hell yes_!" he assured her without a second thought.

"I guess chivalry is dead," Shaw commented dryly.

Donnelly laughed. " _You're not a woman you're like one of those small fishes that have sharp teeth_."

Shaw scowled. "A piranha?" she growled.

" _Yea, one of those_!" Donnelly agreed.

"That's where you're wrong! No, I think I'm more like a Candiru. It's a small fish from the Amazon. It's known for swimming up men's penises and chewing through to their scrotum. Yep, that describes me much better, so make another comment about my height again, I dare you." she snapped but was met with dead silence. Shaw could almost picture him covering his crotch in answer to her statement. "But it wouldn't matter, Donnelly, since you couldn't get a Reese even if you tried," Shaw asserted to get back the upper hand as she walked unhurriedly to the glass elevator. She needed to head to her cabin to change. She couldn't take looking like a walking and talking rainbow much longer.

" _Oh I could get a Reese if I wanted too, but you on the other hand…_ " Donnelly started then trailed off, finding himself pleased that he had finally turned the tables around on this woman.

Shaw stiffened. "Are you suggesting I couldn't land a Reese?" she demanded hotly.

He laughed. " _Reese is way out of your league_ ," he said amused. Shaw began fuming. " _And as for you being the butler, you couldn't since you'd either scare half the passengers or kill them and Reese couldn't do that job, because me and you pretending to be married would end badly."_

"It would end with you in a body bag." Shaw stated, furious, uncaring that the argument they were having was stupid; she just didn't like it that Donnelly thought she couldn't get a man like Reese!

" _But is there an actual reason why you're calling? Because otherwise I'm muting you. Unlike you, I have to do a job while you get to play tourist_?" Donnelly grumbled.

Shaw entered the glass elevator to head back to her deck. " _Like I want to talk to you, but since you're a part of the team I need to update you on our case; the Wixoms are headed to the Fortunes Casino and Reese is presently trying to make contact_."

Donnelly sighed. " _Okay, thanks, Shaw, keep me posted_."

Shaw rode up the elevator in silence while she continued to fume about her conversation with Donnelly. Wait until she saw Reese! He was going to have to choose who he wanted to be with on Earth if he only had a choice of Donnelly or her!

* * *

John was stunned. He stood staring at the woman who had haunted him for nearly five years. He had a million things he always wanted to say to her but yet nothing came out. Rarely did anything ever gave him a jolt, but seeing Joss standing before him after all this time had left him speechless. Then her words penetrated. Married?—and he looked down at the wedding band he was wearing.

She went to turn away from him and he reached out, grabbing her elbow, solidly but gently at the same time. He couldn't let her leave and think he was married, but he couldn't tell her the truth either. Telling her what he was doing here went against direct orders and he could land himself in hot water if Ma'am ever found out, but even with that thought he didn't care; he'd take the consequences. He trusted Joss to not tell anyone anything; she was a cop so she'd understand.

To hell with the Wixoms and heading to Fortunes Casino, Shaw could head there herself and he'd meet her in a while. "Don't go Joss, I need to explain," he asked, close to begging.

Joss stopped to look at him. "Explain what?" she whispered. This was not how she imagined their first meeting to go after so long of not seeing each other. She had been fooling herself. Now she just wanted to escape, to go cry in her room over losing something before it even had a chance to begin. They could have been amazing together if only she had met him at the right moment of his life. This faceless airhead got to piece back together his heart with love and care; that was her job and suddenly she felt angry of the unfairness.

"Please, just come inside my cabin. I can't explain anything out here," he urged as he pulled her with him and she let him. He knew Joss was a detective and former military herself so she had training, surely she could break free of his loose grasp if she truly didn't want to come with him. That had to mean something that she was willing to hear him out.

John tugged her inside and kicked the door shut behind them, blocking her exit with his big…gorgeous body, and Joss knew she was toast. John looked amazing and she was fully aware of what little she wearing and she willed her body to not respond to his, but she felt the hardness to her nipples. This wasn't a good idea, being enclosed together in a room alone with a bed. Not with the man she had thought about every day for the last five years, the man that fathered her child, and the man or thief that had stolen her heart without even trying…because he was married. And her heart broke at the lost chance.

"I should go, John. There is nothing to explain," she said dejectedly. Unless he was in the process of getting a divorce and just forgot he had the ring on. She felt a little surge of hope at that thought, oh god please let him be divorcing. Joss felt a small attack on her conscience for hoping such a thing but she didn't feel too bad since the powerful feelings between them, even after all this time and distance, was still there.

John just eyed her. He needed to explain and apologize for everything but yet he remained silent because he wasn't prepared. He had missed this woman so much, had thought about her nearly every day of these last near five years. And now here she was back in his life and she thought he was married. This wasn't at all what he imagined when and if he ever saw this woman again.

Joss stood staring at him, looking as gorgeous as ever, if not more, and he groaned in the back of his throat as he eyed her sapphire colored bikini. The five years had been good to her. Joss was like fine wine. He felt the stirring in his groin which didn't surprise him; he had been attracted to her the moment he turned around to see who was talking to him in _The Bean_. John tried to open his mouth to tell her the truth; that he wasn't married, only pretending to be, to tell her everything that he needed too. But instead he grabbed her to him and crushed his mouth on hers. He had been so damn thirsty for another sip at her lips. It had been so long since he tasted her and the moment their lips meant it was like he was alive once more. He sucked in a breath when she tasted the same. The same intoxicating taste he couldn't stop thinking about for nearly five years. The only woman to make him crazy with need and made him want to banish his fears and just go for it. She was here now and he could finally explain and, if she wanted him, perhaps try starting over again.

She let out a helpless sound as she kissed him back desperately, her arms snaking around his neck. He walked her backwards until she was pressed against the wall of the cabin he was sharing with Shaw. John pulled back, breaking the fervent kiss for a second to change angle and went right back at it. He let his tongue dance its way into her mouth and got reacquainted with hers. She was exactly as he remembered, her taste, her touch, her feel. God, she felt amazing in his arms. His hands finding her breasts, her nipples hard for him, and found things between them exactly the same: her body responded to his so easily. His body responded in kind.

He pushed free of the kiss leaning his head down and taking her breast into his mouth, bikini and all. She gasped as he slid a knee between her legs, pressing right against where he wanted to bury himself.

Joss was having a hard time thinking about anything except for John and his mouth on her after all this time. It was exactly the same between them as it had been their one night together; an insatiable driving desire to be connected and joined, a craving that was never quenched for her and apparently not for him either. She took solace in that and that he might have missed her as much as she missed him. And while she wanted answers; she needed him more, answers could wait, but her need for his touch threatened to burn her alive.

John had a single minded focus at the moment to get to her flesh. Telling her he wasn't really married and explain to her why he had stupidly stayed away had to wait a few more minutes. He needed this more than his next breath. He pulled his mouth back, tugged the bikini top down and latched his hungry mouth on her breast and she moaned his name. Only she could satisfy this blinding desire he had that he felt would never be satisfied. He circled her nipple with his tongue to draw out one those sexy little noises that she used to make and she didn't disappoint him. His cock hardened painfully at the sound that he missed so damn much as he pressed closer, letting the evidence of his arousal press into her pelvis.

"John," she moaned breathlessly as his mouth was sucking at her breast. Her hands restlessly rubbed his hard body, wanting less clothes in the way so she could reacquaint her skin with his.

Both of them were so caught up in the moment, neither one heard the door to the room open and close loudly.

Shaw's foul mood faded away as she eyed the scene before her; so this must have been what struck Reese's fancy earlier. She never saw him like that before, nearly in a trancelike state. Her eyes took in the way Reese was pressing the tiny black woman up into the wall of their cabin, mouth on her breast, and looking ready to fuck the tiny woman right this second. The woman had her eyes closed, mouth open moaning John's name with her hands on Reese's ass. She watched for a full minute realizing they still weren't aware of her presence, so lost in each other, that given a few more minutes she was going to get a live porn show. Shaw snickered because she kind of liked this side of Reese, usually he was such a stoic tight-wad, though he was her stoic tight-wad, and if this lady hurt him in any way she was going to rip her intestines out and wrap them around her neck.

She better say something before anything was pulled out and inserted. "Well honey, if you're going to bang someone right in front of me you should invite me to join, otherwise it's just rude," Shaw commented which penetrated the sexual haze in the room. The woman's eyes snapped opened and she made a sound of mortification as she pushed Reese's head back. They separated and John turned around. The black chick looked disheveled and shaky as she fixed her top. Reese looked tense and well…she grinned evilly as she motioned at his crotch. "Nice boner, Reese."

"Shaw," he growled in warning, with hands on his hips not shy about the evidence of his arousal.

Joss felt wet, needy, and embarrassed. "I'm so sorry," she said, unable to look anyone in the eye as she made a beeline for the door. So much for him divorcing and the heartache that had started earlier increased tenfold.

"Joss, wait, this isn't what it looks like," John said helplessly, glaring at Shaw for not helping matters, needing to explain, which had been the reason he had tugged Joss in here to do just that, but he got sidetracked.

Joss ignored him, wanting to make a quick escape. She needed to get the hell out of here, so she could go cry in her cabin before she went and picked up her daughter. Their daughter…oh god, she had to tell John he had a daughter, but she couldn't do it in front of his wife. But her escape was cut short as she looked at the tiny brunette, his wife, who leaned against the only exit and amusement danced in her dark eyes. Joss hated that she was pretty even in that hideous shirt.

"I'm sorry for what you walked in on and I would really like to leave now," she said, hoping her voice didn't wobble to show how close she was to tears. She did not sleep with married men, no matter if he fathered her child or not. No matter how much she wanted him and loved him. How stupid was she to fall in love with a man over one night! She didn't believe in love at first sight, but as time went on she couldn't hide from the fact that she had fallen in love with John.

The amusement died in the woman's eyes immediately and rage contorted her face. "Why not?—Reese isn't good enough for you?" the tiny woman snarled. Joss took a step back as the tiny woman simmered.

"Shaw!" John bit out in warning.

Joss eyed the pretty woman and saw no anger in her eyes over what they had been doing but at her words. What the hell was this woman, some kind of swinger or something? John deserved a woman that wanted to be with him and only him.

"He's married to you, which is a mystery as to why, that's why not!" Joss said with a flare up of her temper, at this woman, at John, at herself and at her lousy situation.

"I could get a Reese if I wanted too! Why is everyone so damn quick to assume I couldn't?!" Shaw snarled as she pinned Reese with a glare. "Who the hell is she?" Shaw asked with a dismissive wave at the black chick.

Joss lifted her chin. "I'd be no one if you'd just move the hell out of my way."

Shaw didn't pay the woman any attention because Reese was busy with that: she watched in disdain as Reese looked like an unwanted puppy who wanted to be taken home with this woman. Shaw shifted her gaze off his pathetic look and onto the pretty woman in front of her before shoving away from the door, grabbing her elbow tightly and tugged her further into the room.

Joss stopped short as she stood near John. Being even around him was a bad idea, even knowing he was married and having his wife in the room she still wanted to jump him. God, she missed him so much, thinking about him….loving him. This was a blow to her heart she hadn't been anticipating which was foolish. John was a gorgeous man, even sexier than before, he was aging beautifully, and surely someone would scoop him up once he got over the ghost.

"Is this broad trustworthy?" Shaw demanded, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Joss narrowed her eyes on his wife. "Best watch who you call a broad, I don't know what's going on but I want to leave and you two have five minutes," Joss stated icily.

"You can trust Joss, Shaw," John said immediately, nearly pleading with her. Shaw turned her gaze off him and put it frostily on this 'Joss' woman. What was this woman to him?

Joss was lost in thought so it took a moment to realize the tiny lady was holding something under her nose. She blinked and focused her attention on that and saw a badge for the FBI with this woman's picture on it, reading: Sameen Shaw. Joss recalled John calling her Shaw a few times, and quite angrily too.

"You better be worth the consequences. Reese and I could get canned if our handler ever finds out we ousted our cover on purpose." Shaw said with a threatening tone lacing her voice.

Joss stepped back and her eyes flew to John, not bothering to dignify this tiny angry woman with a response and watched as he too tugged out his own black leather wallet of sort, to flash her, his badge. His name was: John Reese.

She looked up at him. "You're FBI," she breathed and then smiled as she shook her head. It was fitting for him since he took so much care of his body and he was extremely intelligent. "We had even more in common than I thought. I always wondered what you did for a living. I tried convincing myself you were something dull like an accountant," she said and he chuckled softly as he relaxed a little.

"No, that night I never did get around telling you that I was FBI."

Shaw had to add her thoughts. "Probably because you two were busy fucking each other's brains out, judging from what I just saw," she commented which got the predicted effect: two sets of eyes on her. "Yea, I'm still in the room and unless you two want an avid audience, you animals have to wait."

Joss did not want this woman watching her and John. But maybe it was best that they had a chaperone right now. She needed to understand what the hell was going on before she went any further.

John saw his opening and took it. "Shaw and I are friends and partners in the FBI stationed in D.C. and we are undercover posing as newlyweds enjoying a honeymoon on this cruise. We aren't really married, just pretending to be which is why I asked you in here to explain so no one overheard us but…uh…I got a little sidetracked," he admitted, trying to withhold blushing. Shaw would never let him live it down if he blushed in front of her.

"Yea, judging by her wet lips you were busy sucking on her face, then her tits," Shaw tacked on. John glared at her and Joss giggled, now knowing that this woman wasn't really married to John; she didn't despise her as much anymore. And Joss sighed happily as she watched crimson creep up his neck and flushing his cheeks, she loved that he still blushed. "Oh my fucking god, Reese, you're blushing!" Shaw barked out with dark laughter at his expense.

"Shaw, do me a favor and shut up," John requested forlornly.

"I think it's cute," Joss said.

Shaw eyed them and made a face. "You would,"

Joss pinned her with a look. "And what does that mean?"

"Shaw, could you please go see if you can make contact with the Wixoms, so I can speak to Joss for a moment alone?" he butted in, really not wanting Shaw to try to run Joss out.

Shaw shrugged. "Whatever, I have to change into something else first."

"You can go as you are," John countered. He really didn't need Shaw being Shaw in front of Joss right now. He needed to convince her to hear him out, not walk out that door and he'd never see her again.

"No I can't, I look like a box of crayons!" she snapped.

"And about as smart," Joss muttered, still not fully warmed up to this woman.

"I could color you black and blue," Shaw sneered, finding herself enjoying the sparring match. This chick seemed okay, but if Reese wanted to date then he needed to find someone she liked too because she was here first and she wasn't losing Reese's friendship for anyone. So far this one wasn't wetting herself around her. But Shaw was reserving judgment.

"Go ahead and I'll knock loose some teeth," Joss said assuredly.

John exhaled roughly as Shaw opened her mouth to continue on their threats. "Please Shaw, just go, and I'll be there in a few minutes." he said before she could land a death threat.

Joss lifted her chin when Shaw paused to eye her. "Hurt him I will break you apart," she vowed coldly. Joss could hear the protectiveness in her voice.

"SHAW!"

Joss smirked, not put off in the least. "You try to lay a finger on me and I will jam my thumb into your eye socket and twist until I find your brain…that is if there is one," Joss said equally chilly. She wasn't letting this woman frighten her off. Now that she knew John wasn't married, then he was fair game, and wasn't going to let his weird overprotective partner scare her off. She let him go once because they weren't at the right place at the right time. Well this time she wasn't about to let him go again. She had a daughter who deserved her father in her life and damn it, Joss deserved to have him in her life too. They were good together.

Joss saw the tiny brunette's brows rise in surprise before she thought she saw a hint of a smirk before she turned to eye Reese. Shaw had one last question. "Answer me a question Reese: me or Donnelly?"

John tugged his gaze off Joss. "What?"

"If you had to choose only between Donnelly and me to spend the rest of your life with; who'd you choose?"

"I'd choose to kill myself." he answered and Joss coughed to hide her laughter.

Shaw exhaled. "That isn't one of the options! Now choose!" she barked impatiently.

"Why the hell does it matter?"

"It just does Reese! Answer the question." Shaw demanded. She didn't want Reese in any shape or form but it was the fucking principle of the thing! "Or I'm going to stay here and..."

"You," he answered immediately.

"HA! I told him I could land a Reese if I wanted too. I have to go and gloat," she responded triumphantly and with that she disappeared out of the cabin, leaving John confused and Joss somewhat amused.

Joss watched as the woman left before turning to look at John. "She's something else."

"I'm sorry about Shaw. She can be childish at times but she doesn't make many friends, in fact I'm her only friend so she's…"

"Protective," Joss supplied. Now Shaw's mood made sense. If John was her only friend she was going to be overprotective of that friendship. An overly possessive good friend who had a chip on her shoulder was easier to deal with than a wife. But she needed to corner this Shaw and find out if she had any feelings for John and to let her know she wasn't budging now that she found John again.

John sighed. "Psychotically so," he agreed. "She also has a personality disorder, so as long as you continue to not allow her to get away with her comments you'll be able to handle her. Our third wheel is getting the hang of it," he added. In fact he thought Shaw kind of liked Joss for putting her in her place.

Joss wanted to talk about other things more pressing like that kiss, those feelings that were still between them, and the fact that he had a daughter. But he didn't know about the last one and he was still trying to explain his work.

"So I take it that there are three of you on the ship?"

He nodded. "Donnelly is a butler."

Joss blinked. "Does he have dark hair, kind of thinning on top?"

"Yea, why?"

"I think I met him, he called himself Don. He offered to unpack for me," she muttered and saw jealousy surge in John's eyes as he no doubt thought about her under clothes she packed and Donnelly would have seen. "But he didn't," she felt the need to add and smiled as the jealousy evaporated nearly as quickly as it formed. Joss felt immensely pleased that she wasn't the only one jealous here. She would love nothing more to have ripped that Shaw woman to shreds when she had thought she was his wife.

Joss wanted to talk to him about everything but he wasn't here on vacation or married, thank god, but he had work to do. And she didn't want to get in the way of it. Now knowing he was here on a ship for the next seven days without being able to leave, they had time to talk. It would give her a chance to prepare what she wanted to say, to ask, and come up with a good way of telling him about Madeline. Also it would give her a chance to eyeball the clothes she did pack and see if she could find something to wow him with.

"Since it sounds like you have to go to work, can we just set up a time to sit and talk alone without your friend around?" she asked. "Not that she's not a peach to be around but we need to talk John."

"Sure," he agreed softly. "I'd like that."

She smiled loving how quiet and shy he was getting all of a sudden. "Good, how about I come by your cabin sometime tomorrow after we get back on the ship from port?" she asked and he nodded. She smiled in agreement before she eyed her watch. She needed to go pick up their daughter. "I should go," she murmured before she shoved him down on his bed and reacquainted her body with his. They had some talking to do first before they could pick up where they left off.

"Yea, I should go help Shaw on our case," he agreed. He escorted her out and Joss committed his cabin number to memory before they walked side by side. Joss was hyperaware of John beside her and she thought he bumped his hand against hers on purpose a few times, yearning for the touch. Maybe it was her imagination but she prayed it wasn't. He walked her to the glass elevator. They paused and looked at each other. John tentatively reached out and touched her cheek and the heat of his touch warmed her so. "I'll be seeing you soon," he purred in his soft voice that really was orgasmic. It had urged her onward to an orgasm more than once.

"You can count on it, John. I let you go once, don't expect me to again."

His eyes held hers before the moment was broken when the elevator opened and a couple exited and Joss slowly withdrew from his touch, missing it immediately, and entered. He watched her and she pressed the button for the deck the Fun Factory was on and waved at him as the doors shut. She was grateful it was glass because as she rode up she got to watch him the entire time and noted with happiness he watched her leave.

* * *

AN: And now the real fun begins ;D Next chapter:

 **Chapter 6: Girl Talk**

I love these subtle hints in the title names. I think I'm going to do this more often! Thanks for reading!


	7. Ch 6: Girl Talk

_**AN: I know you guys really enjoy this story so I will try to speed up my updates, but in the meantime I want to thank you guys for being patient with me, I know I don't have to wait around like you guys do :)**_

* * *

John found and entered Fortunes Casino after a quick reply from an irritated Donnelly that it was on Deck 4 (complaining he should have just asked Shaw since he told her) and, for the first time in a very long time, his mind was not on work but rather on Joss. He heard the beep in his ear. He sighed, really not wanting to connect with Shaw, his mind was still reeling from earlier, his body was wound tight with sexual frustration but duty called.

He clicked the button in his ear. "Yes, Shaw," he answered slowly, preparing himself mentally for Shaw's barrage of questions and comments.

" _Who the hell was that woman in our cabin_?" Shaw asked without fail.

"New question, Shaw," he stated tersely, needing her to back off. He didn't know how to explain Joss to Shaw in a way she would understand.

" _I like this one_."

"Too damn bad. Where are you and have you managed to make contact with our targets?" he demanded, immediately changing the subject.

" _Near the Blackjack table. And no, but I did manage to get eyes on them._ "

John scanned and found her. It was not hard to spot her, you could spot her from space since she stood out like a multi-colored neon sign.

"I should have just searched for the human traffic light," he deadpanned.

" _Ha-ha, good one Reese, remember you want me to drop the subject of the sexy black lady you nearly plowed until I entered the room_. _You were two seconds away from reaming her,"_ she reminded darkly.

"Point taken," he commented before disconnecting as he strode over to her as she loitered near the Blackjack table. She nodded her head and he followed her gaze, finding Nigel and Selma at the roulette table holding drinks, laughing, and talking. "Has anyone suspicious come up to them?"

"Nope, I scanned the casino and didn't see anyone keeping an eye on them either. Not like us," Shaw muttered. "They have been at the roulette table the entire time," she added.

"They look like they are having a fun time." he murmured, taking notice that Nigel Wixom rubbed his wife's arm before whispering something and she smiled, then he turned to leave. "I'll be right back…dear," he tacked on the endearment at the last second.

"I'll go try to establish contact with Selma, _sweet cheeks_." Shaw said with humor lacing her voice as they split up. Shaw headed for the roulette table while he followed Nigel to the bar that was set up in the corner of the room.

John walked up beside Nigel Wixom as the man ordered drinks for him and his wife before he sighed earning the man's attention. "Do you know what's good here?" he asked, feigning confusion as he eyed the different drinks behind the bartender's head.

Nigel smiled before answering, "I suggest the Crown and Coke."

"Thanks; me and my new misses are going to live it up on our honeymoon," he murmured before ordering the drink Nigel suggested.

"Oh you're on a honeymoon?"

"Yea," John agreed as he turned to offer his hand which the man took. "I'm John."

"Nigel. I'm on my honeymoon too."

"Oh, another shackled one," John joked lightly which broke the ice as Nigel laughed.

"I don't mind being shackled to her," Nigel murmured happily before pointing out Selma to him. "That's her, my wife; Selma."

"Wow, she's beautiful," John said warmly and Nigel nodded his head in full agreement. "And your lovely wife is actually talking with my wife Sam, what a coincidence," John said with a laugh.

Nigel looked back at his wife and saw a small brunette woman sitting with her talking. "She's pretty."

"She is," he agreed as he looked back at the ladies and prayed Shaw was doing alright with Selma. Shaw was a good chameleon and was able to blend in on any undercover operation but her short fuse was too short at times, and she found this case lame. John took the drinks for him and Shaw before turning with the man and added a comment about meeting Sam at a Mets game; thanks to Intel they knew that Nigel Wixom was a devoted baseball fan and his favorite team was the New York Mets for which he held season tickets. Sports was easy for John, since he held an interest there too, and the two men fell in an easy conversation that John hoped gained him an 'in' to the newlyweds.

Nigel laughed as he and John approached Shaw and Selma before the two ladies turned to look at them and the introductions were made as they handed their spouses their drinks. John didn't really know what to make of the look he was receiving from Selma and was going to demand to know what Shaw had told the woman.

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am," John murmured politely as he took Selma's hand and lifted her palm up and kissed it while Shaw drank half of her drink in one gulp.

"Oh my, you are very gentlemanly," Selma said with a look still in place, the look that John couldn't quite read, before he shot a questioning glance at Shaw as he straightened.

Shaw wrapped an arm around Reese's waist. "I told ya, didn't I, Selma," Shaw's voice held a hint of bragging rights and John was sure whatever she told Selma was not good for him.

Selma giggled and nodded. "Oh yea," she agreed before a bright smile filled her face. The four moved off to the side to chat for several more minutes, choosing topics that the Wixoms held dear to them, and after a while Selma invited them to dinner, "My husband and I were just going to go get some dinner, how about you two join us?"

"We would love too," Shaw chirped as her face darkened with hunger. "I'm starving."

"I bet you are!" Selma agreed with a look John's way before she slipped her hand into Nigel's. "How about meeting us at Bistro on Five in say twenty minutes?"

Shaw smirked. "Better make it a half hour."

Selma nodded and giggled at him again before the happily married couple turned and walked away. John and Shaw immediately parted and he glared at her. "What?" Shaw faked innocence as they handed one of the rotating crew members with an empty tray their empty tumblers.

"What did you tell her?" he asked angrily.

"Who?"

"Selma Gordon-Wixom, that's who!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Reese," Shaw said with a lift of her pointy chin. He narrowed his eyes on her as they exited the casino to head directly for the elevator to get up to their cabin so Shaw could change.

They entered the elevator and John didn't let up. "You told her something because she couldn't stop giggling at me."

Shaw shrugged. "I found a topic that I was comfortable with and Selma and I hit it off."

The only two topics Shaw was good at were: guns and sex. "Let me guess: I have a constant hard on for you and I can't get enough of you and your pussy. How am I doing so far?" he wondered in exasperation.

Shaw grinned evilly. "You should have kept your big fat mouth shut about my hideous shirt!" she stated and he sighed. "And you're pretty close but I actually said that you act like my vagina is your penis's garage and you are packing quite the hardware, no fake husband of mine has a small package!" Shaw said and snickered at Reese's scowl, before she motioned down south. "Not that you have to worry about me lying for you, judging from the boner I saw when you were practically pressing that woman through the wall. You must have a dick the size of Texas," she added as they got off the elevator.

Shaw noted the curled hands into fists as if he was fighting the urge to strangle her and decided Reese was distracted enough with lust to kill her that he might give her an answer to her question, so she asked, "Who the hell was that chick anyway, an old girlfriend or something?" she demanded.

"I am going to kill Finch when I get back on dry land!" John vowed, not biting on the obvious ploy by Shaw to know who Joss was. He wasn't telling her anything. With his luck Shaw would try to chase Joss off if she learned that they slept together once almost five years ago. Shaw would hate her for not searching for him when it was his fault. But reasoning with Shaw was like reasoning with a brick wall and for some reason Shaw had latched onto running his love life like it was her business, no matter how angry he got.

But even though he was supremely irritated at the moment with Shaw and their cover, he couldn't say he was as upset about the case as he previously was. If Finch never told the Senator about him then he would never have been reassigned and he would never have run into Joss again. At least finding Joss again was his silver lining for this case from hell.

* * *

Joss paced the bedroom of the Royal Suite back and forth. She hadn't been able to calm down since running into John. She had shifted her thoughts about John in the back of her mind when she picked up their daughter so Maddie didn't notice a thing. Joss had taken Maddie back to their cabin to change back into her swimsuit so she could go swim some more before they ate dinner and retired for the evening in their cabin. Maddie was practically running on empty in the restaurant because she hadn't slept well the night before and that little cat-nap on the plane to Florida only lasted so long. Maddie tried to get mommy to agree to one outing for swimming but she refused, which the overtired Maddie had cried about. Joss had Maddie change into her pajamas and put on a children's movie which made her daughter forget all about swimming as she immediately got lost in the movie. Joss knew it would take about twenty minutes to a half hour before her daughter gave into the sleep that was beckoning her and would definitely sleep well tonight.

But her mommy wouldn't.

Joss had changed into her pajamas right along with her daughter. She wore mauve colored knit shorts and for her top she wore the lavender dress shirt John had left in his haste to make his flight the morning after their one night. Joss had found it on the floor when she got up to watch from her bedroom window as he hailed a taxi. She had told herself she could wave him down and hurry out to give it to him. But she hadn't wanted to. She wanted to keep it. She had told herself she was going to just wash it and hang it up in her closet, so she could always look at it and have the fond memory of their night together to look back on. But then the night that followed had been hard because she had missed him. It was stupid because she had just met the man but the night before they had spent the entire time talking and making love.

She had been sore and tired for work but her thoughts were on the man with gorgeous blue eyes that she couldn't seem to blink away. Taylor had teased her that she looked like a walking zombie and wondered what kept her up all night. She lied and said she couldn't sleep, which had been partial truth. But when she had gone up to her room that night when she thought sleep would have been easy since she was operating on less than a half hour of sleep, sleep eluded her. Her mind raced with thoughts of John, what they had shared the night before, and wondering where he was and what he was doing. She had tossed and turned, angrily punching her pillow, and even had gone downstairs, found her bourbon that she hid just for those types of nights and took several sips. But still nothing put her to sleep…that is until she broke down and tugged on his shirt that still smelled of his crisp natural male scent and that sexy cologne. Joss had fallen asleep like a baby the moment she curled up in her bed in his shirt.

And ever since that night she slept in it, though since then it had been washed and cleaned but sometimes she could almost still smell his scent on it because she longed for it so much.

Joss exited the bedroom and smiled softly as her daughter was sound asleep as the movie blared unwatched. She shut the movie off, collected her daughter into her arms and carried her into the bedroom. Maddie was so out of it that she didn't rouse even a little bit. Joss set her on the bed and pulled the covers over her little body. She pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Goodnight' baby, mommy loves you." she whispered before kissing her forehead once more and moved to the door, shut the light off, and closed the door but left it ajar to let a little light flicker through. She didn't want her daughter to awaken and get scared.

Joss wasn't ready to sleep. She ventured for the veranda and exited out onto it and sighed as she looked out at the dark ocean that the moonlight reflected off. She smiled as she looked up and saw so many stars that it was breathtaking. Joss never really could see the stars in New York, it was too busy and such, and she didn't have the time to star gaze. She gasped in surprise when a shooting star crossed the beautiful night's sky.

"Joss, you know what that means." she said out loud to herself. It was time for a wish. And she knew it was silly but she couldn't break tradition. She closed her eyes and made her wish: _I wish for a real chance with John, the father to my daughter._ Joss opened her eyes and sighed as she sat down on the comfortable sandy colored lounge chair set up on the veranda, knowing that her wish had a good chance at coming true.

John kissed her and, given a few more minutes alone, she was sure they would have been doing something far more than just kissing. The same consuming passion between them ignited all over again and Joss couldn't say she didn't welcome it. She missed that passion from her life. She hadn't had it before John and she certainly didn't have it after. While Joss knew she had been celibate since then, there was no doubt in her mind that John had not. He was a man after all and a very good looking man to boot, and to be perfectly honest: a damn sexual man. She didn't hold it against him since they weren't in a relationship of any sort, but she did want to know why he hadn't ever come in search for her because she knew it wasn't all one-sided. It couldn't be which he had proved to her when he pulled her into his cabin and nearly scorched her with his burning need.

She needed to talk to someone about John. And she knew just who. Joss got to her feet and entered the suite to grab her cell phone before swiftly checking on Maddie to make sure she was still asleep. When Joss was satisfied that her daughter was out like a light, she closed the door again and immediately made a beeline for the veranda. She didn't want to risk the chance that Maddie would wake up and overhear a single word. Joss needed to let John in on the fact that he was a daddy before Maddie was told that her daddy that she had wanted since she could remember was found.

Joss sat back down all the while finding Grace's name and clicked it. She hoped she was up. On occasion Grace stayed up past Harold and Leila's bedtimes because she got inspired and would paint into the wee morning hours. She hoped that was the case tonight.

It rang three times and Joss nearly gave up before Grace answered with a cheery 'hello'.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" Joss asked.

"No, I was in my studio painting but I left my cell in the kitchen," she explained with a rush of breath. "But how are you, Joss, how are you enjoying the cruise thus far?" she asked warmly.

"I love it. I can't say thank you enough for what you and Harold have done," she said sincerely. And more than that, if they never got her this cruise then she never would have run into John again. And for that she would be forever grateful.

"Oh sweetie, you're so welcome, and stop thanking us. You are a very dear friend to Harold and I, Leila loves you and Maddie so very much as do we. As long as you and Maddie are happy and enjoying yourselves that is all the thanks we need," Grace assured quickly and with finality.

Joss shook her head unable to fight with her friend when she got into these moods. Joss leaned her head back as she rubbed a hand over the buttons of the shirt she wore, staring up at the stars.

"Is Harold asleep?" she asked prolonging the actual reason why she called.

"Yes, he had a rough day. His back and neck acted up and he was in so much pain," Grace said with acute anguish in her voice.

"I'm so sorry, Grace."

"There's not much we can do. Physical therapy helped him and while he's not in the wheelchair anymore, which is a miracle in itself, I just wish there was something more that could be done. His quality of life has been altered. He couldn't even lift Leila this morning," Grace murmured softly.

Joss thought she heard the very strong and caring woman's voice wobble and then a sniffle. "I wish I could offer more than a simple 'I'm sorry' but I can't, Grace."

"Me too, thanks for listening to me," Grace whispered and sounded like she blew her nose. "I just love him and worry about him. But I just have to hold onto the fact that at least he survived which could not be said about Nathan. His family had to bury him while I was graced by god to have Harold in my life longer."

Joss held off talking to her about John as she chose topics to cheer her friend up which were Leila, Maddie, and her painting. Joss filled her in about the adventures that Maddie already had with swimming, the paper mache mask she refused to stop wearing which had been a very gaudy purple, gold, and pink mixture.

"So what did you do while Maddie was engrossed in her paper mache mask making? I hope you went and got a massage to relax," Grace murmured, sounding a little more chipper.

Joss grinned. "I did," she agreed before she hesitated. Joss needed to tell someone about John before she exploded. "Grace, he's here."

"Who's there?" Grace asked.

"John…."

"Your 'John' is on the ship with you?" she questioned, but didn't sound nearly as surprised as Joss figured she would be.

"Yes my 'John,' Maddie's father…that John!" Joss agreed, emphasizing the importance of the fact. When Grace asked her what she was going to do, Joss narrowed her eyes. She had thought Grace would be surprised but Grace was acting like she had already known. And then she recalled the text she had received from Harold earlier about wanting her to be on Deck 8. She hadn't realized that she didn't see anything and hadn't paid much attention to that before now. Because she had run into John and all thoughts of anything else had taken a backseat.

"You don't sound as shocked as I figured you would be," Joss said, becoming suspicious.

"Oh I am." Grace said hurriedly.

"You're trying to lie to a former Army Interrogator and not very well I might add, Grace! You knew he was here didn't you!" Joss demanded loudly before she tempered herself down, not wanting to wake anyone next to her.

Grace sighed. "Harold warned me that I wouldn't be able to keep it from you that I knew. Oh boy, he was right. I shouldn't have asked him," she said.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Joss asked.

"Your John is our John."

"Excuse me?"

"Maddie's father is Leila's Godfather," she clarified.

Joss nearly dropped her cell phone in astonishment. "Leila's godfather…the Uncle John Leila talks about all the time is Maddie's father, the man that I have thought about for almost five years!" she said, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Well Joss, first off; we didn't know, not until you told me the story of Maddie's father. Even then I didn't know. It wasn't until I told Harold offhandedly what you told me that he recognized the story about the woman that John used to love: Jessica. My husband began putting two and two together because John was in town during the time Maddie was conceived for our wedding," Grace explained.

Joss sat still while her mind swam for the second time in a matter of hours. Not only did she find John again, but now she learned that her good friends knew John and most likely set them up on to this cruise to find each other. "So does that mean the case he's working on is fake?" Joss wondered.

"Ah, so you talked to John then?"

"Yes." Joss agreed feeling her body warm as it recalled they had done more than talk for a few glorious minutes until his angry partner interrupted. "At first I thought he was truly married to someone else," she admitted.

"To answer your question, from my understanding from what Harold told me, the case that John was put on is very much real. I met Selma at her wedding and heard about the death threats she is receiving. I think my Harold really sold Selma's father on requesting John for the case."

"Was this wedding before or after I told you about John?"

"After," Grace answered. Joss furrowed her brows. Selma that wasn't a common name and maybe Selma was her neighbor in the Royal Suite next to hers. Joss immediately got to her feet, wanting to go inside her cabin so no one could overhear her conversation. "But don't you dare work on your vacation, Jocelyn! You need one, leave this one to Shaw and John."

"I have no intentions of getting in John or Shaw's way of working their case. I don't want to risk landing them in hot water," she confessed quietly as she sat down on the couch. "I already know they could get fired for even ousting their cover to me in the first place," she said softly, not wanting either one of them to lose their job for her.

"So John told you the truth," Grace said sounding immensely pleased with the news.

Joss chuckled. "He did after a tiny mix-up."

"Okay I have to ask: are there still feelings between you two?" Grace questioned, recalling the passionate tale Joss had spoken so fondly of.

"Yes." Joss answered without hesitation and Grace squealed in happiness. Joss relaxed feeling better after calling Grace, even if it did shock her that her friends had set her up. "May I ask you something, Grace?"

"Of course you can," she agreed, like she was unsure why she even needed to ask.

"Grace, does John know that you know me?"

"No."

Joss nodded. "Does John know that you set him up?" she wondered.

"From what my wonderful husband told me this evening, John had been very upset to learn that Harold had talked with Senator Gordon about his credentials. Harold very much intended for John to be reassigned because we had talked about sending you on a cruise for your birthday for a while. My astute husband learned Selma and Nigel's honeymoon plans from the glowing couple themselves and then immediately purchased you your seven day cruise to paradise for that very same cruise," she explained. "I think even if Harold didn't know about the connection between you and John that he would have still tried to get John reassigned," she included which piqued Joss's interest.

"Why?"

"He's worried about John and quite frankly; I am too," Grace murmured.

Joss froze. "Is he alright? Is there something wrong?"

"No, he's fine, but overworked. John doesn't relax and he hasn't taken a vacation since our wedding."

Joss nodded as she relaxed. "I see."

"Now I need ask you a question, Joss," Grace hedged.

"Ask away," Joss assured.

"Have you told John about Maddie?"

"No, not yet, but I'm going too."

"Good! Because John is going to make a wonderful father. He's so good with Leila," Grace murmured softly.

"Before I break it to John that our one night resulted in an unplanned pregnancy and he has a very beautiful daughter that wants him so much, I need to know why he hasn't come in search for me. I need to know." she whispered.

"I have a feeling I know just from the subtle things my husband has said about John's past."

"Why?—why do you think he stayed away?" she asked clutching her cell phone tightly.

"Oh, I don't think…" Grace started but Joss cut her off.

"Please, Grace, I need to know what you think." Joss requested.

"Alright, Joss. This is my opinion not fact but I think John stayed away from you for these last few long years out of fear."

Joss nearly dropped her phone again due to surprise. John didn't look afraid of anything. "Fear?" she repeated, making sure she heard her right.

"Yes, fear. I think you scared John."

"Grace…"

"I don't mean you scare him in the typical sense. I mean John's been in love once that I know of and it ended badly; he hasn't had much experience with relationships and feelings. And then you came along and made him face something he hadn't expected to find again and that frightened him."

"You're talking about Jessica."

"Yea, in all the time I've known John he's never been in a relationship," Grace murmured. She had met John two months after she met and began dating Harold.

"How long?"

"Close to eight years. I met Harold in '08 and met John a couple months later. Harold didn't have any family left and the only ones he wanted me to meet was his two best friends that were like brothers: John, and Nathan." Grace said and Joss sucked in a breath. That was a long time of being alone. It made her sad. "I never even knew about Jessica until my husband told me everything Friday evening after we gave you your present, when he explained to why he chose the particular cruise you were going on. I suspect that John held a torch for Jessica because it was a convenient excuse so he wouldn't have to try again and get hurt. Then she died and he needed to grieve over her and learn to accept the loss."

"And that's when I met him, when he hadn't been ready to accept the fact that she was gone," Joss said, feeling enlightened and felt like she understood John more after talking with Grace. She was so glad she decided to risk it and call Grace. "Thank you for telling me this, it's been a major help," she said honestly.

"Don't thank me, I had visions of match-making you two forever and felt like you two would hit it off. John would be so happy with a ready-made family in you, Maddie, and Taylor. But then Harold told me his suspicions that Maddie was really John's, I was over the moon. I know you and John have a lot to hammer out and a lot of catching up to do, but I know everything will work out in the end. I have faith," Grace said simply.

Joss smiled. "So do I because I let him go once, I have no intentions of doing so again. My daughter deserves her father in her life. And I deserve the man I love in my life too."

"You deserve the world and more, Joss."

Joss smiled. "I need to call it a night; we port at eight in the morning for the Cococay Bahamas. I have big plans of spending the time on the beach, then snorkeling, and then after we board the ship again talk with John about us, then tell him about our daughter."

"Well good luck and have fun Joss. Just know if you need to talk; call me anytime day or night because I'm here for you." Grace murmured softly. "I love you like a sister Joss."

Joss smiled as she felt tears prick the backs of her eyes. "I love you like a sister too, Grace." she said lowly.

"Goodnight Joss."

"Goodnight Grace." she reciprocated and with that they both hung up.

Joss got to her feet setting her cell phone down on the table in front of her before moving to the bedroom. She was bushed and needed sleep. Maybe she could have happy dreams of a bright future with John.

* * *

AN: I love the idea of Grace and Joss being this close. Had the show gone WAY differently I could have seen this happening, with Careese and Harold/Grace having double dates :') Anyways next chapter:

 **Chapter 7: My Girl?**

Yes, a song title an oldie but a goodie, or you can view it as a movie reference too since there is a movie with the same name :D Thanks for reading!


	8. Ch 7: My Girl?

_He had to go search for Joss, and it had been surprisingly easy to find her. Not a single soul was on the beach which was shocking since he had figured everyone would be beach dwelling for the next eight hours or so. The beach was beautiful and rich; the sand was soft and smooth, and the water looked so clear that he could see the aquatic life beneath easily. But his eyes had not moved away from the sight to behold: Joss, sitting in the middle of the empty beach alone, looking like a Siren. No, much more like a goddess that beckoned him. She sat on a red beach towel in her skimpy and extremely sexy bikini. He longed for his skin to graze hers, to feel her beneath him, be inside her, and be joined intimately._

 _John told himself to cool his jets. She had a lot to take in and she probably had a lot of questions that he needed to answer; besides they were on a public beach even if it was uncharacteristically empty of any other human life besides him and Joss. He couldn't have her even if his cock was hardening at the sight of her, finding nothing wrong with where they were or the minor obstacles in his path to Joss._

 _She looked up as if she felt his steady gaze on her and her lips parted in surprise before they tilted up into a shy smile as she watched him cross the beach towards her. He had tugged on simple black swim trunks and flip-flops, and nothing else._

 _Joss scooted over to make room for him on her towel, patting it beside her. It was all the invitation he needed as he sat down beside her. "I didn't think I'd see you so soon," she admitted gently._

" _Why not?—even spending one more minute from you seemed too long," he said as he took a deep inhalation of her sweet Jasmin scent._

 _She shrugged, looking sad. "You stayed away this long; I figured you'd wait and let me come search for you."_

 _He bumped his shoulder to hers. "I wanted to come find you."_

" _Why didn't you, John? Why didn't you come back to see me?" she asked._

 _He looked away, peering out to the beautiful ocean. "I figured you had moved on and I couldn't bear to see you with another man because it took me so long to be ready for something again," he murmured. "I let Jessica go and had to watch her with another man…I didn't think I could handle it with you. With Jessica it was different because I knew it was for the best for the both of us, but I know if I saw you with another man I would have done something I wouldn't be proud of."_

 _John felt a soft touch of her fingers on his cheek pulling his gaze to her. "We're here now," she purred as her fingers traced his jawline, creating sparks of heat wherever she touched him. His eyes drifted down from her doe eyes to her mouth that upturned into a dazzling smile as her body inched closer, her tongue darting out to lick her lips and he groaned, tugging his gaze off those sinful lips that he wanted to devour to land them back on her eyes._

 _He tried to focus on their conversation and not the growing urge to kiss her and never stop. John searched her gaze. "Are you saying you can forgive me for staying away for so long?" he questioned, scared of her answer; scared she didn't want him and that the kiss they shared in his cabin was all one sided and he conjured up all the passion she had showed him._

" _I'm saying I really need you to kiss me now."_

 _John was only happy to oblige even though she didn't offer any answers as he leaned over and kissed her gently, tenderly, meaning to just brush his lips against hers. But hers were so soft and her response was so palpable that he deepened the kiss at once. Tenderness faded as her lips demanded more from him which he readily gave as their need for each other threatened to consume them both. He reached a hand back and cupped her neck as he slanted his head and coaxed her lips apart. She immediately responded with a soft sigh as her lips parted for him and he slipped his tongue deep inside. His tongue rubbed across hers. He shifted and leaned closer to her, needing to be closer to her. Soon he was pushing her onto her back and he followed her down on top of her._

 _The kiss ended when she broke free to moan his name as his hardness pressed at her center, the thin fabric of their swimsuits were the only barriers between them._

" _Tell me you want me still, Joss," he begged as he grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head into the sand, eyes boring into hers._

" _I want you, John."_

 _John made a rough sound that he couldn't identify as he let go of her hands leaning back a little and immediately pushed her top down so her breasts spilled out for him to lavish and pleasure. He opened his mouth wide, taking as much as he could of one, and sucked._

" _JOHN!" she moaned loudly as her back arched, as he felt her legs spread and she scored his back with her nails and he could feel sand that clung to her hands adding an extra abrasive feel, sending shivers up and down his back._

 _He allowed his tongue to swirl and wash over her tight nipple while his hands roamed her body to reacquaint himself with it. He grunted when he tugged at her bottoms.  
_

" _John," she moaned as he pulled back, removing the appalling scrap of material, leaving Joss completely naked to him. Her breasts out of the bikini top with nipples tight with need and her glistening sex exposed to him and beckoned him to suck on her until she was coming again and again._

" _I've missed you Joss, you don't know how much," he whispered unevenly as he crouched down between her legs, spreading her for him, and inhaled her sex._

" _JOHN WAKE THE FUCK UP!"_

John let out an angry shout as his eyes snapped open the immediate moment something ice cold splashed across his face. Shaw jumped back as he sat up fiercely and quickly.

He sputtered before he rubbed a hand over his face to rub the water away. "Shaw," he threatened.

"I tried the nice way once, that's more than anyone else would get," Shaw said with a shrug, drinking the rest of the cold bottle of ice water. She let out a loud and satisfied 'Ah' of contentment before motioning at his crotch where his boxer-briefs were tented up. "So you were dreaming of that chick huh?—so who the hell is she?!"

John ignored her and the same old tired question she kept asking as he got to his feet. He had slept on the couch. It was uncomfortable since he was six foot two and his legs hung over the arm rest; but sleeping in the bed with Shaw even with her under the covers and him on top wasn't happening in this lifetime. Bad enough he had endured the worst kiss in his life with her, he wasn't going two for two on things he never wanted to experience.

Shaw bounced on the bed, smirking.

"Tonight is your night to occupy the couch or floor. And with the fact that a gnat is bigger than you, you'll get more rest than me!" he commented, not making eye contact with her.

"At least you won't deny it," Shaw said with her usual smirk, not biting at the obvious ploy to get her pissed.

He exhaled as he looked at her. "There is nothing to deny; I can't, because you'll just point out my erection." he stated, leaving off painful. "Yes, I dreamt about Joss, can we drop it?"

"Did I wake you up before you got to the good part which could explain why you're so grouchy?" she wondered and he glared at her. "Yep, woke you up before you got to bang her." she snickered as she bounced off the bed. "Well, go take care of it in the shower because we need to get close to Selma and Nigel. I can't have them seeing you like that, Selma might think I'm not satisfying you in bed!"

"Yes, can't upset your fragile ego Shaw."

"No, if I have to be a lame housewife then at least I have to be the best sex you ever had," she said and watched as Reese got lost in thought. Ugh. He was thinking about that chick again, wasn't he!? "Literally, go fuck yourself so you can get your mind back on the case, Reese."

He glowered at her again and was ready to throw her ass out of their cabin regardless of the fact that they were posing as newlyweds or not. But when a knock sounded he rolled his eyes when Shaw's lit up as she ran for the door. He turned to go take a shower as she opened the door for room service. He was actually going to take Shaw's advice because he needed to relieve the tension swirling in his loins or he wasn't ever going to focus on his case, which never happened to him before.

* * *

"I wanna go swimming Mommy!" Maddie announced as she hopped on the beach eyeballing the ocean with big round eyes. With them docking at eight o'clock sharp this morning for the Cococay Bahamas she had gotten her baby up at seven so they could get some breakfast in before they had a day of swimming and fun at the beach. Don had come in with the fresh fruit platter and the Daily bulletin. It was now obvious that he wasn't a butler simply because he was terrible at it. But she didn't want him to know she knew the truth because he looked like a stickler for the rules and she wasn't about to get John in trouble for trusting in her with the truth. Her baby was nearly vibrating with excitement, drawing her thoughts back to where she was currently. "Please, please, please, please, pleassssssse!" Maddie chanted over and over again.

"I know sweet-pea, but arms out," Joss instructed and Maddie turned to look back at her and immediately held out her arms. Joss had taken a moment to put sunscreen on them both; while they wouldn't burn like lighter skin people, sun was not good for anyone's skin.

Joss worked the arm floaties up her baby girl's arms and once they were in place Joss got to her feet much to Maddie's delight and they walked hand in hand to the ocean. "Mommy look!" she squealed as she saw seashells on the shoreline.

"Yea, they're pretty!"

Maddie grinned as she looked up at mommy. "Pretty like mommy."

Joss picked up Maddie into her arms and gave her dozens of kisses on her face and neck as Maddie squirmed and laughed. "Pretty like Maddie," Joss announced to the world as she hugged her daughter before setting her back on her feet. "How about we swim a little, then we'll collect some seashells before we go snorkeling." Joss suggested to her baby girl.

Maddie had no objections. Snorkeling wouldn't start until ten in the morning which she knew her and her daughter would enjoy. They were going to love to watch the aquatic life. Joss was still debating on whether or not to get Maddie a pet. Maybe they'd start off with a fish or two so she could teach her daughter on how to take care of a pet, and if it worked out then they could work their way up to something bigger.

Joss yawned heavily. She didn't sleep well at all last night. After her call with Grace she had been even more wide awake, so she had watched some TV while resting on the couch trying to relax. But her mind drifted onto John, not paying the movie any attention. That had been an utter mistake because her mind didn't drift to the things that needed to be said, no her mind drifted right to the great sex they had and how she wanted it again.

Joss had taken matters into her own hand last night when her carnal thoughts had heightened her need so much that it was either relieve the ache between her legs or she would never have gotten any sleep. And she needed a little rest as this was supposed to be a damn vacation! So she had slid a hand under her pajama shorts finding herself extremely wet with her lusty thoughts about John and his glorious body and stroked herself while lost in thoughts of what they did together. The fabric of his dress shirt she slept in had rubbed her very erect nipples causing her to remember when he had made her come as he rubbed against her bare chest while fully clothed. Joss had moved restlessly on the couch, her legs spreading wider as she got lost in the memory of John's heavy body weighing her down as his large bulge pressed against her intimately. And soon it wasn't her hand stroking her, it was John's, and her hips had jerked off the couch seeking a touch that was nothing more than memory and longing and after an embarrassing few short minutes, her climax rushed her with John's name torn from her throat softly, so as not to wake her sleeping daughter. And when she opened her eyes as the last tremors faded from the orgasm that she thought would sate her, she was disappointed instead because it had been her hand touching her and not John's.

Joss had lied on the couch, movie still playing but unseen by her, breathing heavy and more wound up than before because it wasn't enough and it certainly didn't satisfy the rapacious need she had. Her fingers weren't what she wanted, not when her body craved his or his mouth, either/or, at this point she wasn't picky and John was the only man she ever had and ever would want to have go down on her. She had turned the TV off and crawled into bed and willed herself to sleep.

All she would have for now was memories of their night as they figured things out. They had to talk and once they got that out of the way they could finally pick up where they left off as she had dreamt of for so long. She just needed some answers and then to jump over the hurdle of the fact that he has a daughter. But she shelved those thoughts away, focusing on playing and enjoying time with her daughter as she swam with Maddie in the ocean feeling the saltwater cling to their skin. They were definitely getting showers and, for Maddie, a bath before she took Maddie to the Fun Factory which were having swimming games on the pool deck from 3-5 and while Maddie was participating, Joss was going to go find John and have that talk.

* * *

John sat at one of the distant lounge chairs up at the pool deck. In one pool were tons of young children playing games with crew members obviously running the thing and in the other pool were a bunch of adults including Nigel Wixom playing water volleyball. Selma was lounging near the poolside and was sun-bathing. Shaw waltzed over to Selma in her black bikini and settled into the lounge chair next to hers. He refused to get into the pool even if he did enjoy swimming. He couldn't prevent something bad from happening if he was playing water volleyball, preferring to sit and watch. Donnelly had been in their stateroom watching the footage of Selma and Nigel's room on his break to keep an eye on their room so nothing fishy happened while they were out. They disconnected with him when he had to get back to his cover job.

But being alone allowed him a chance to think and his thoughts were, not surprisingly, on Joss again and what he wanted to say to her. Well, he hadn't fully figured out what to say to her yet. He wasn't very good at vocalizing how he felt and knew he was going to flounder during their talk but he was going to try. John just hoped Joss was a patient woman and give him a chance to explain.

But for some reason he kept circling back to the woman he had thought was Joss from behind before figuring it wasn't her. He was confused. His body knew that it was Joss…even before he knew she was on the ship, but she had a little girl by her side. He didn't see the little girl very well so he had no idea how old the child was. Adults blocked his view of her but he knew Joss had held her hand from the little he saw. So did that mean during the five years she had met someone and a daughter? John felt an intense wave of jealousy of some faceless man that had brought Joss pleasure, which was idiotic as they haven't seen each other in near five years, hell it would be five years in another eleven days so he didn't expect her to be celibate. It wasn't fair too. He hadn't, not with his two ill-fated nights of passion that resulted in stale sex that did nothing for him but get him empty release after resorting to conjuring Joss up to even get that. He had realized after the miserable attempt with Iris that Joss had ruined him and he just turned to taking matters into his own hands. It wasn't as satisfying, but it was better than leading a woman on when they weren't ever going to compare to Joss.

He climbed to his feet to go sit with Shaw and Selma to get away from his thoughts. There was no telling if Joss had another child since their night or not; and perhaps that woman truly wasn't Joss. Or maybe the woman he thought was Joss was actually Joss but the child wasn't hers but a friend's. He didn't know if she wasn't vacationing with friends or family. They hadn't talked much. John sighed as he refused to let himself blush over the fact that the reason they hadn't talked much was due to him, especially not with the fact he was going to go sit with Selma and Shaw.

"Hey John!" Selma greeted happily as he took a seat beside hers so that Shaw was on one side and he was on the other, just in case of any potential threat that could try to brazenly come after her out in the open.

He smiled. "Hey Selma,"

"I just love your wife," she said with a large genuine smile.

John hid his disbelief. "I'm glad someone does," he muttered under his breath, so quietly so neither woman heard him. He listened as Shaw worked Selma for more information as he leaned back to relax on the ivory colored lounge-chair. His eyes were drawn to the kids when he heard laughter and squeals of excitement.

He smiled as he watched them play. He always wanted a child of his own but that was one wish that wasn't ever going to come true, he accepted that a few years ago. He enjoyed being godfather and adopted Uncle to Leila. It would be enough because it had to be. His eyes found a cute little girl with light brown skin, and braids in her thick dark hair, wearing a hot pink one-piece with ruffles and little purple arm floaties on her long arms. She was cute as she bounced and laughing the loudest and John smiled as her laughter was contagious. She was standing near the pool side as other kids were doing belly flops. It appeared the game was to have the best belly flop.

John turned to look at the ladies, seeing them amused as they watched him. "He sure loves practicing for babies!" Shaw stated which earned a giggle out of Selma.

He narrowed his eyes on the ladies and realized they were laughing at him and he knew it was Shaw's doing. "Darling, perhaps I don't want to just practice anymore," he murmured, putting on his best serious face. Shaw's laughter immediately stopped. "Maybe we should try to have a baby," he suggested and grinned evilly as Shaw's face went pale before she covered it up. "Just think of the morning sickness, of adding on some weight and needing to buy maternity clothes, and an eight to ten pound baby being pushed out of your…"

"So Selma, when are you and Nigel having kids?—when you're not making fat old men with small penises cry from caring more about the environment than their wallets?" Shaw asked over him, steering the conversation away from babies. She got the memo.

John mutely listened as Shaw got Selma to talk once more and not realize she did most of the talking while they listened.

John looked back to the kids playing and his eyes found the little girl with the infectious laugh and he immediately sat up when he saw her dance as it was close to her turn and she slipped from water on the side of the pool and fell hard drawing a sharp cry of pain from the little girl.

He got up and hurried to her as she started to cry. Her tears tugged at him more so than any normal child if they had fallen which he didn't quite understand, maybe it was because just a few seconds ago she looked so happy. The crew members were in the water with the other children.

"Hey honey, are you hurt?" he murmured as he crouched down near the little girl, checking her over, making sure she didn't break anything. He sighed with relief when he saw that she hadn't.

She cried as she looked up at him and he was startled by her pale piercing blue eyes. "I fell," she answered as if he didn't see that, more tears spilling out of those large eyes that tugged at him again.

"Is she alright?" a woman asked, causing John to look up and see one of the crew members standing there in a black one-piece looking worried.

"I think so. She slipped and fell," John murmured as he helped the little girl up, still kneeling in front of her. She was still crying and pulled her arm away from the crew member who was trying to turn her towards her. "What's your name sweetie?" John asked warmly with a soft smile as he realized she was still holding his hand. Her hand was so tiny in his.

"Maddie," she answered quietly, still with tears running down her little cheeks as she wiggled with brows crunched down due to the pain from her fall.

"What a beautiful name for a beautiful little girl," he said and he saw a tiny smile on the child's face as she looked at him.

"My mommy's pretty."

"I bet she is," John agreed readily. "I'm John."

"You got blue eyes like me," Maddie stated in between sniffles.

"I do, but mine aren't as pretty as yours."

She giggled. "Yea they are," she said shyly as she pointed at them.

"They are," the woman crew member sighed and John ignored her, keeping focused on the cute little girl in front of him.

"Nope," he countered.

"Uh-huh!" Maddie said as her face lightened up and the tears were slowing down.

"Nu-uh," he argued wanting her to forget about her slip and fall.

"UH-HUH!" she said louder with laughter.

He held out his one hand. "Okay, okay you win, I learned that you never fight with a beautiful lady!" he said as he bowed out. Maddie grinned triumphantly as her tears were all but forgotten. "How old are you?"

"Four, I'll be five on my birthday!" she announced proudly and John bit the inside of his cheek to keep for laughing.

"Four almost five!" he pretended to be shocked. "Well now you're a big girl aren't you?"

"Yep," she agreed.

"I have a sweet goddaughter close to your age and whenever she gets ouchies, do you know what I do for her?" he asked gently.

"No?"

He smiled at her. "I steal her pain."

The little girl tilted her head back and her mouth formed the cutest little 'O' he ever seen. God this little girl was stealing his heart. "How?" she wondered in awe.

"With a hug," he said as he spread his arms wide.

The little girl threw her arms around his neck and he hugged her. The crew member smiled before John broke apart from her, feeling the little arms cling to him. "You feel better?" he asked as he looked her in those mirroring blue eyes. He swallowed hard as they really did look like his. He shook himself, he was seeing things because he was surprised by the fact that this little girl, who was clearly bi-racial, had blue eyes when he was assuming she would have dark eyes.

"YES!"

"Just be very careful at the pool side, it can get really slippery," he admonished gently as he got to his feet.

"Ok."

"You're really good with her." the lady murmured. John shrugged. And the woman looked at Maddie. "Maddie, are you ready to go take your turn and try to make the biggest and best belly flop?" the crew lady asked gently.

The little girl nodded but glanced at him one last time before walking hand in hand with the lady.

John turned and proceeded to walk back to Shaw and Selma, seeing they were watching him but his eyes found Joss who was sitting off in the distance at one of the lounge chairs underneath a canopy. He stopped mid-stride and was struck by her as she was wearing shorts and a pink tank top. She could wear a potato sack and she'd be the most beautiful woman in the world.

Selma and Shaw glanced to see what he was staring at, making him realize he hadn't hid his reaction as well as he should have. "Oh, it's Joss, she's our neighbor in the Royal Suites! Hey, Joss, over here!" Selma called out with a grin as she waved her over.

* * *

Joss wasn't prepared. She had gone to John's cabin to see if he was there while her baby was playing in the swimming events in the Fun Factory. She wanted to see if they could head to a restaurant for a little while and talk. But when she got to his cabin, there had been no answer and Joss left dejectedly. She knew he was working but she had been hoping to catch him there…alone. She knew she said later, after they left port, but still she had hoped.

So she had given up and decided to head up to the pool deck to watch her baby play with the other kiddies. But what she hadn't anticipated to find when arriving was John crouched down near their daughter and talking with her. She didn't know what happened but her daughter's face had lit up while with him. Her breath caught as she fought the burning sensations at the backs of her eyes as tears loomed on the horizon as she watched her daughter throw her arms around him. It was truly a sight to behold and something she had wanted for so long and had given up any hope of seeing. Joss barely contained herself from heading straight over there and telling them both the truth that they were father and daughter.

Now she was struck because John turned as their daughter walked off with the crew member to go continue to play, constantly giving John a backwards glance, and John found her off in the distance. It was as if their eyes would find each other if there were a million people in their way. And John looked downright sinful in just a wife-beater with water making it cling to his flat stomach from the hug he received from their daughter, flip-flops, and black swim trunks. His arms were defined and muscular and he was already tanning from the sun. Her eyes raked over him freely as he stood stone still in front of her.

Her eyes managed to pull free of him and saw Selma waving her over, with his partner Shaw beside her. Oh god, their target was her next door neighbor in the Royal Suites which meant she had to play pretend here too. She slowly rose to her feet and pasted on a blinding smile that she wasn't feeling, how was she ever going to pretend that she didn't know John? She could pretend, but this might be asking too much; she wasn't an Oscar Nominee or a Golden Globe Winner or something like that.

"Hi Selma, and…" Joss began but trailed off unsure of what to call Shaw. She didn't know their cover names. Hell she didn't even know what to call the woman not in cover.

"Sam!" she announced sounding completely different than when she had met with her just yesterday. The woman was clearly in cover which meant she couldn't be crude or downright rude. "This is my husband, John," Shaw made the introductions.

Joss still felt the claws of jealousy at that statement, even knowing it was just a cover and judging by the look she was getting from his partner, the decidedly evil brunette, knew it needled her. But she covered how she felt as she looked at John and watched as his expression went carefully blank as he held out his hand.

"It's nice to meet you…" he started playing his part.

"Joss," she said as she took his hand with hers and tried to ignore the surge of heat as the simple touch but couldn't. She shivered as his long fingers teased the inside of her wrist and she wanted him to touch her someplace else entirely, and pretty soon they were just holding hands until they both realized it and dropped each other's hands instantly.

John turned to look away from Joss before he did something really bad and kissed her in front of Selma and Shaw which would blow their cover. "So Sam, sweetie, are you ready to head back to the cabin?" he asked flustered.

"Oh, we both know what you want." Shaw said with a smirk as she got to her feet.

John exhaled in aggravation. "MOMMY!" John turned and saw the cute little girl that he helped was running full steam ahead and directly at Joss with a beach towel flowing behind her.

"Baby, no running by the pools!" she said fiercely and Maddie immediately stopped as she crouched down to welcome the hug as her daughter now slowly approached.

"I fell and got an ouchy and that man stole my pain, mommy! He's like a 'gician!" Maddie said as she pulled out of the hug and pointed at John. Joss risked a look at him and he was staring at her in shock.

"You mean magician?" she corrected.

"Yea! And he's got blue eyes like me, mommy!" Maddie said as she looked at John with a large smile and Joss knew they were in deep trouble because her daughter felt the connection; the father-daughter connection, whether her daughter realized it or not.

"S-she said she's four going on five, Joss, when's her birthday?" he demanded desperately sounding winded.

Joss eyed him. "She is, her birthday is in December." she answered honestly and wished this wasn't the way he was going to find out he had a daughter. She wanted to sit him down and tell him the truth but there was no going back now. There was no pleading with him to come with her someplace to talk alone because Maddie would want to come along and she needed to find out what John felt before telling her daughter that the man who stole her pain, the man that she considered a magician, was her father. Because her daughter would never give him up.

John's eyes widened and she watched as he did the math in his head, his partner looked confused, and Selma was preoccupied with her husband who approached them with water dripping and the two were giggling at each other only like newlyweds could. Then the realization burned in John's eyes that mirrored their daughter's as they fell to Maddie and he couldn't say a word because he couldn't blow his cover.

* * *

AN: Hmmmm, why do I feel like there are sharp objects pointed in my direction for ending it here? And in case you guys didn't know the beginning part was a dream sequence that I wanted to surprise you guys with, since I knew how this chapter was going to end. Yep I'm bribing you guys with a hint of sexy Careese times. Next chapter:

 **Ch 8: Our Little Dilemma  
**

I had a way better title for next chapter but the stupid character limit killed it :'( Thanks for reading!


	9. Ch 8: Our Little Dilemma

John stood staring at Maddie, wanting to drop to his knees and hug her to apologize for not being there for her; not getting to see her first step, her first word, her first anything and to promise to never leave her again. But he couldn't do any of that, not until Joss confirmed it, even if he knew she was his daughter in his heart. Her tears raised indescribable and unexplainable feelings in him earlier, now they made sense if she was his. John tore his eyes off the beautiful little girl before him and landed on Joss, so damn scared to hope it was true, that she was his, that his longing for a child of his own had come true; because believing Maddie was his and then learning she wasn't would shatter him and he would have no hope of piecing himself back together. John saw the truth radiating in Joss's big brown eyes and he felt like he was punched in the solar plexus, sucking in a ragged breath as he fought for his steely control. John turned to look away from them, concealing his turbulent feelings, and forced himself to remain in his cover…barely.

"I'm going to escort Joss and Maddie back to their cabin to make sure Maddie is alright after her slip and fall, Sam, if you don't mind," he stated rigidly, not asking: letting her know he wasn't in the mood for her lip service. He hoped that neither Shaw nor the Wixoms heard the hitch in his voice.

Shaw eyed him, then Joss, and then the little girl and back at him. Her eyes narrowed on him as if she was trying to figure out a puzzle without the picture, but she was smart and she would put it together if given enough time too.

"Sure, I'll just hang out with Selma and Nigel," Shaw agreed slowly, not giving anything away. Lucky for him they were in the presence of the Wixoms or he was sure Shaw would be less congenial than she was at the moment.

Selma grabbed at her chest with a sappy smile. "Oh John, you really are such a gentleman," she said, but John didn't spare her a glance because his eyes were back on Joss and Maddie. Joss had straightened up and they stared at each other. "OOH! I have a wonderful idea!" Selma burst out in happiness clasping her hands together as Nigel wrapped an arm around her waist, causing both he and Joss to jump as they guiltily looked away from each other and gave Selma their undivided attention. Well, most of his attention because Joss breathed near him so he was having a hard time fully focusing on anyone besides her and Maddie that was peering up at him. "Joss, we are having dinner with John and Sam tonight, how about you and Maddie join us?!" Selma invited sweetly.

Joss and John shared a glance. "Oh I don't want to intrude on the happy newlyweds," Joss protested. Oh hell no, how could that happen! This was torture, just standing here with John and having to pretend to not know who he was, but an entire meal pretending she didn't know John? An entire meal pretending he wasn't the father of her daughter, that she didn't know him intimately or that he was ticklish if you rubbed your hands teasingly just above his hipbones? Or that she didn't know that he ducked his head when he shared something personal, and wasn't the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with?—nope, just no way.

"Please, the more the merrier Joss and we're buying." Nigel added sweetly. Joss felt backed into a corner and her daughter didn't help matters with wanting to go.

"Mommy, I wanna go and eat with John! Please, Please, PLEASE!" Maddie begged as she bounced on the balls of her feet as she pleaded with her.

Selma grinned. "Ah come on 'mom,' how can you say no to that cute little face?" Selma asked with a laugh. Maddie, in turn, pouted for her as if she wasn't irresistible before! "It seems like your daughter is smitten with magician John."

Joss fought the urge to say: 'no Maddie was smitten with her father', but Selma didn't know and she couldn't take out her frustration on the nice woman so Joss faked a cheerful smile. "Sure, we'll go, Maddie," she agreed helpless to resist her daughter. Her daughter felt the bond to John and she wasn't going to stand in the way of it.

"YAAAAY!" Maddie cried in sheer jubilation.

"How about we go to the Luminae, they offer a wide range of cuisines for any palette including that of a young lady?" Nigel suggested.

Joss nodded. "Yea, Maddie and I ate their last night and they even made a small pizza for Maddie. Sounds perfect."

"I'll call to reserve us a table for seven," Selma assured everyone.

"Thanks! Maddie, say goodbye to the nice people, baby," Joss instructed as she took the _My Little Pony_ beach towel from her daughter, slinging it over her forearm.

"Bye-bye people," Maddie said waving at them before grabbing Joss's hand. Then she stopped abruptly and ran back and gave John a big hug around his legs as she was small or he was too tall. 'Thank you for making my boo-boo better," she said softly, matching blue eyes staring at each other.

John swallowed hard as if the child had reached inside his chest and just took his heart from him before he forced his gaze away and looked at Shaw, who looked back at him in kind, both realizing they were going to have to embrace in some way to make this farce of a marriage look real. John awkwardly leaned down to hug Shaw as Maddie refused to let go of him.

"You are going to tell me what the fuck is going on," Shaw snapped in his ear as she patted his butt for effect.

"Later," he agreed in a tight whisper. They parted from the hug and he turned seeing the look on Joss's face but he couldn't even find satisfaction in her jealous gaze because his eyes fell onto Maddie who finally let go of him to slide a hand into his.

"Shall we?" he murmured as Joss grabbed a hold of Maddie's other hand firmly.

Joss pasted on a smile. "We shall," she agreed.

John swallowed hard as something thick lodged in his throat as they walked hand-in-hand-in-hand. It felt so natural to hold one of Maddie's small hands while Joss held the other as they walked together slowly; so domesticated, so right. They headed to the elevators walking with an excited Maddie chattering at them. They all squeezed into the glass elevator to head down to Deck 10 where Joss's cabin was at in one of the nice Royal Suites.

"Friends of mine got me the cabin," she admitted, filling in the silence when her daughter quietened up, taking a breath between stories she was telling them. Joss wasn't ready to reveal to John that her friends were his friends too. One bombshell at a time!

He nodded as they exited the elevator, they approached her cabin number which was also aft of the ship, but port side close to the elevators. They stopped in front of the door just gently looking at each other while listening to Maddie's tale at the pool, which included John's magic healing.

Joss fumbled in her pocket to tug out her sea-pass feeling nervous, really nervous to the point of nausea. She knew they needed to talk but this wasn't how she had been envisioning telling John about Maddie. First their reunion after nearly five years had gone way differently than she ever thought possible. And now all her musings on how she'd break it to John about Maddie went up in smoke because he learned while in front of three virtual strangers and was forced to stay mum about it the entire time.

John gently took the sea pass from her and swiped it for her, which she was grateful of. She pushed the door open and their daughter tried tugging them both inside with her. "Would you like to come in?—hero John?" she asked in polite pleasantry, knowing for damn sure he was going to come in and want to talk.

"He does mommy! He does, he does!" Maddie answered trying hard to tug John with her and John squeezed her small hand softly.

"Maddie, we don't answer for John," she reprimanded. Maddie in turn turned to look at him expectantly.

"I would like to come in and talk with you and your mommy some more," he agreed softly, making the small girl pleased. They let Maddie tug them inside with her before she let go of their hands to run for the couch and coffee-table where a fruit platter sat.

Joss shut the door with eyes on locked in on John's fine behind as he stood in between her and their daughter. She flicked a quick glance at their baby girl before cringing as Maddie sat on the nice beige couch in her wet bathing suit but it was only water, it would dry out.

Maddie grabbed a strawberry from the fruit platter that was set there earlier by Don. "You like strawberries?" John asked.

Maddie looked up as she nodded her head vigorously while she ate. "I love strawberries. Mommy said I'm just like my daddy." she said with a mouthful of strawberry and John looked at Joss as she came to step up beside him rather than ogle his ass. She helplessly shrugged before nodding towards the veranda.

"Maddie, do not speak while eating, you can choke," she chided their daughter who nodded solemnly. "How about watching a movie before we head out for dinner?" she suggested and Maddie began bouncing on the couch in agreement. John was quiet just watching them as she got a cartoon movie that would keep their daughter's attention so they could have a conversation on the veranda. "Maddie, mommy and John are going to talk out on the veranda," she said. Her baby nodded but paid no attention to the adults as the movie's credits came on.

Joss looked at John and motioned for him to follow her. They exited out onto the veranda and she closed the door, setting Maddie's beach towel on the patio table, before positioning herself so she could keep an eye on their daughter but looked at John.

"She's mine isn't she?" he asked the immediate moment they were out of Maddie's earshot.

"Yes, she's your daughter. She was born on December 20th 2011 at eight forty-three in the evening via C-section, and her full name is Madeline Rae Carter which will be changed to Reese." Joss said and John turned to look at their daughter through the glass. She didn't bother to add that she would legally add his name onto her birth certificate too. That went without saying.

"She's beautiful like her mother," he said thickly.

Joss kind of felt bad for John. She didn't know what it felt like to be told that you had a child that you didn't know about and to find out in such a way. She reached out grabbing his hand, pulling his gaze off Maddie and onto her. Her eyes searched his, watching them darken at the simplest touch between them but they still radiated happiness and pain.

"I'm sorry, John, I tried to search for you to tell you about her but I never got your last name. I looked at all the airports leaving about the time of your flight and with your name being so common…" she trailed off.

When John didn't say anything she gathered herself and continued on, "And then the pregnancy had thrown me for a loop, Maddie was hard on me. She enjoyed making her mommy sick in the womb," Joss said with a wry smile.

"I'm sorry you were alone," he whispered as he shook his head guiltily. "It's my fault why you were."

"You didn't know John." she murmured gently as she reached out turning him so she could hold both his hands so that they were facing each other fully. She longed for the right to press her lips to his whenever and wherever she pleased. Maybe in time she would be granted that but right now all she could do to comfort him was hold and squeeze his hands in an effort to soothe the swirling emotions she could see in those ever expressive eyes he had. "My birth control pill came under recall but too little too late because I wasn't made aware of the fact that the dosage required to prevent me from conceiving was well below what I received. I learned that about two months after getting pregnant with her. At the urging of my family I sued and the company compensated me quite well and our daughter's college is all paid for."

John felt relieved, college was expensive. He shifted his eyes off Joss as he felt like he was drowning in her with no life vest; she was the woman he couldn't stop thinking about. He couldn't stop thinking about her gentle soul that spoke to his, nearly making him believe in kindred spirits. She made him rethink about a lot of things he didn't believe in at first; soul-mates, love at first sight. He never believed in either until this woman and that had left him unsettled for a very long time, still did if he was honest. He kept telling himself that they only had one night, that it took much longer than one night to fall in love; kept telling himself that Joss hadn't fallen for him in one night. They were sensible, they were middle-aged and both been hurt before.

But she was the woman that enraptured him from the start and now she was the woman that was the mother to his child. His child, his daughter, and he saw the top of Maddie's head as she watched the Spongebob Squarepants movie that he recognized from one of the many times he was over Harold and Grace's because Leila was in love with Spongebob. And while he knew that Maddie was unplanned he couldn't see her as a mistake, she was his daughter, and feelings surged up inside him as did tears of happiness stung the backs of his eyes.

Joss didn't know what he was thinking about but she wanted to give him a private moment to himself before she spoke again, "I didn't mean for you to learn about her in this way because I know you didn't have a chance to prepare or even wrap your brain around it. It's actually one of the reasons why I wanted to see you tonight because, yes, I want to know why you stayed away for so long but I wanted you to know about Maddie. She's your daughter," she admitted softly, which drew his gaze back to her. She saw something swimming in his gorgeous blue eyes saw how bright they were like he was doing everything he could not to cry. She prayed they were tears of happiness.

He didn't know what to say. He always wanted a child but he missed out on her life for so long. And he hated himself for it. It was his fault. Had he just gone to see her instead of letting his insecurities get the best of him; he'd have known his daughter. He would have spent more time with her and her mother.

"I'm sorry for failing you and Maddie," he whispered.

Joss squeezed his hands. "You didn't know John," she repeated.

He didn't know what to do with his feelings so he focused on his anger at himself as he pulled free, taking a couple steps back. "I might not have known but I could have had I just gone to see you one of the many times I was going too!" he said bitterly as he rubbed a hand through his hair. Joss felt her heart melt at the fact that he had been thinking about coming to find her. That was a very good thing. "But I didn't and I have to live with the fact that my inaction left my daughter fatherless for nearly five years," he went on without knowing how his words had excited her and she wanted to know why he hadn't come back but that was a topic of discussion when they were alone. She could wait, John needed a chance to take this all in. She knew telling him about Maddie was life changing, her daughter's feelings mattered more than her own and Maddie wanted her daddy so much which she would have once John had a chance to catch his breath.

"John hindsight is always twenty-twenty, you didn't know, and all we can do now is move forward," she reasoned. "I always felt that things happen for a reason. There must be a reason why we lived these last five years apart."

"I don't see it quite the way you do," he said softly.

"How do you see it then?" she challenged him. "Because if you are going to reiterate that you failed us because you stayed away for whatever reason then you should save your breath, I don't accept that. Things happen, we deal with them and then move on! You're here now, John," she stated before pinning him with a firm glance. "Did you forget?—I'm former Army Interrogator and almost a lawyer, so I can out argue you any day of the week!" She told half jokingly, half seriously.

He chuckled as he gave her one of his heart stopping smiles that lit his sexy face up. "I couldn't forget a thing about you if I tried," he whispered.

But she wasn't going to let him woo her with that smile that could make her weak in the knees or be charmed by that the soft-spoken statement that made her innards flip-flop. She had a point to drive home. "I'm right about this John, we can't go back in the past so we can only learn from it, live now, and look to the future," she said sternly, before softening up a bit as she smiled at him. "Case closed." she murmured.

"I object…."

Joss giggled. "You can't object when the case is closed, John. It's called: Lawyering 101," she teased, glad they found the humor they shared that evening of coffee, dinner, and then feasting on each other.

He ducked his head looking ever like the shy man she first met. "Give me a break, Joss, I've only seen a handful of episodes of _Law and Order_."

Joss's smile faded as she grew serious once more. "John, the only way you would ever have failed me and our daughter was learning about her and not caring," she said softly. "So do you?"

"Do I what?" he asked nonplussed.

"Do you care that you fathered a child?" she asked, needing to hear him say it even if she figured she knew the answer to this question. She had to be sure.

He looked affronted. "Of course I do. She's my daughter!" he said loudly. And she smiled with relief. Good, because now she had to tell her daughter that she found her daddy. "I want to get to know her and be in her life."

"That's good because Maddie has wanted you since the moment she can remember." she said as she took a step towards him, enjoying the warmth ebbing off him. "I told her that you were a good man and that you would come back to us when you could."

"You told her that?"

"Yes, because I believed that somehow, someway we would find each other again. You can't deny there is something powerful between us that drew us the very second we looked at each in _The Bean_ ," she said.

"No I can't."

Joss wanted to delve further into that but forced herself to keep on the discussion of their daughter. "And we'll talk more about that later. But right now I want to tell Maddie that you're her father that she has been longing for." she said as she reached a hand up resting it on his chest and she felt his heart racing nearly as fast as hers was.

Joss sidestepped him to go do as she said and he grabbed her wrist. "Wait, are you sure that's a good idea?" he asked.

"Yes, my daughter has lived without her father for long enough." she stated tersely and he flinched. She exhaled, immediately feeling bad. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say it like that. But why wait?"

"I meant because we are going to be having dinner with Selma and Nigel Wixom, who we are trying to keep an eye on."

Joss paused. She hadn't thought about that. John was right it could get a little dicey. Maddie wouldn't understand at all and would announce it to the world that John was her daddy. "Maybe I could bow out," she said hesitantly.

"Maddie will be upset."

"Yea, but she'll be sidetracked with the fact that she has her daddy." Joss pointed out and smiled inwardly at John's look at being called that. God, was he the cutest man in the world.

He realized he liked being called 'Maddie's daddy.' John sighed; he had only known he was a father all of five minutes and he already wanted to hear Maddie call him that. "But I have to go to the dinner," he said.

"So?"

"If we tell Maddie this right now, do you think she'll let me go anytime soon?" he wondered sincerely.

Joss frowned. She knew the answer to that: hell no! John was going to be lucky if he could escape their room at all if she told Maddie he was her daddy right now. They were going to have to tell Maddie during a day when John could be away from his partner and the Wixoms for a while or closer to her bedtime so she could enjoy a few hours of daddy and then fall asleep.

"You're right, she won't let you leave. Our best time of telling her is at night about a couple hours before her bedtime," Joss admitted. "That way she'll fall asleep and you can slip out and get back to your cover and your cabin." Not that that idea was very good because she kind of didn't want him to slip out and head to his cabin he was sharing with his snarky little partner. She liked the idea of him staying the night and she'd let their daughter sleep on the couch or Maddie could have the bed and they'd spend the night on the couch.

Joss needed to cool herself down. She doubted she and John were going to have sex on the cruise. How, when he was pretending to be married to someone else and they have a four year old around?

"How about I get to know her as John until after this dinner tonight and we can tell her the truth some other night?" John suggested.

"I guess that will have to do," Joss sighed despondently because they had another obstacle in their way: the Wixoms, they were her next door neighbor too. She stared into his eyes. "I guess this postpones our dinner until tomorrow night."

"I guess it does," he agreed.

Joss nodded. "Maybe it's for the best. Demetrius told me about this wonderful babysitting amenity they offer but I looked into it and you need to give them a twenty-four notice."

"I'll ask Shaw and Donnelly to keep an eye on them while we have dinner and talk."

"Good, and John…."

"Hmmm?" he was growing antsy at going back inside and just being with his daughter more.

"What are the sleeping arrangements for you and your obnoxious partner Shaw?" Joss wondered innocently.

"One night I sleep on the couch and the next she does, that way there are no fights over the bed." he said with a shrug before looking at her perplexed. "Why?"

She smiled happy with the answer. "Just color me curious."

* * *

AN: Yep things are getting more and more complicated for John and Joss by the minute they still have to talk about their feelings, about what happened in the past and the ever present case that is throwing a monkey wrench in their plans of telling Maddie the truth :D Next chapter:

 **Ch 9: Confessions**

Thanks for reading!


	10. Ch 9: Confessions

_**AN: Happy Friday my loves :)**_

* * *

John left Joss's cabin halfheartedly, looking back in at Joss and Maddie who were smiling and waving at him.

He had sat with them for as long as he could and met Maddie's favorite stuffed pink bunny, Mrs. Pickles. John longed to tell the cute little girl that he was her daddy as she shyly cuddled close to him and he wrapped an arm around her. Joss had looked away from the scene with damp eyes and immediately got up off the couch with them, excused herself, and hurried into the bathroom. Thankfully Maddie didn't know that her mommy was upset. Then he would have had to try to explain why without telling Maddie the truth. John watched her go, wanting to follow and make her feel better. But his way of making Joss feel better was a definite way that Maddie should never see or do…ever in her lifetime! While Joss had gone into the bathroom to collect herself privately, he and Maddie ate all the strawberries on the platter, John feeding his to Maddie and Maddie giggling and wanting to reciprocate as she fed hers to John, one at a time. They left mommy the grapes because they were her favorite.

When Joss came back, a smile was plastered on her face but he could see what this façade was doing to her. He could see how much she wanted to oust the secret to Maddie. He squeezed her hand, before promising to meet with her tomorrow so they could have that long overdue talk. Maddie had tried to monopolize his time and while he distracted her, Joss had called to set up for a babysitter to watch Maddie for tomorrow night. She managed to get the 8-10pm slot which was the latest the babysitters ran to. It was probably for the best that they couldn't speak until tomorrow, not just because Maddie wouldn't understand that if she told Selma, Nigel, and Shaw that he was her daddy that she would blow his cover. But also so he could get a handle on the fact that he was a father, something he always wanted but had given up believing he'd ever be.

Now he had to come up with a halfway decent plan for their future. Joss and Maddie lived in New York and he lived in D.C., which happened to be their first obstacle and a very obvious one. But not one that was insurmountable because he could get a transfer to the New York's field office or maybe he could convince Joss to transfer and move to D.C. with Maddie. But he didn't like the latter option. John didn't want to ask Joss to give up her friends and family for him or to uproot their daughter for the sake of his career in Washington. He didn't have any family left besides Maddie now, and perhaps Joss too, if she wanted him more than just a father to their daughter. Just because they kissed and that magnetic pull between them was still quite potent, didn't necessarily mean she wanted a relationship with him. He could have missed his shot a long time ago. Although Joss did seem to be dipping her big toe into the water with her pointed questions as if she was testing to see if he wanted a relationship with her.

And he did, god did he ever want that woman so wholly. He wanted to come home to her and their daughter every day to hear about their day, to talk to them forever. And he wanted to kiss Joss and make love to her every night, cherish her for even wanting to spend a moment with him. Joss was literally the perfect woman and he still was having trouble wrapping his brain around the fact that she even looked in his direction. What did she see in him?—he was an overworked workaholic that had to save everyone because he failed to save one.

John pushed all thoughts about his future away until later, when he could be alone in his thoughts. He closed their door when he realized he had been staring at them for far too long, lost in thoughts, and noticed they had stopped waving. John turned and proceeded to walk to the nearby elevators and prepared himself for Shaw's questions that were going to be direct, angry, and annoying. He stopped well short of the elevators as he saw Donnelly approaching him with surprise written across his face, clearly seeing what cabin he left from.

"Hi, J-sir," Donnelly said, catching himself, with a nod.

John had practically forgotten about Donnelly being on the cruise with them and being a butler in the suites that Joss had and nearly cursed at his misfortune. "Good afternoon," John greeted, keeping his face neutral before moving to the elevator once more, bypassing Donnelly, when he heard a beep in his earwig causing him to sigh in disgust. Just great, not only did he have Shaw to contend with, now he had a curious Donnelly to badger him too.

John clicked the button on his earwig. "What do you want, Donnelly?" he responded dryly.

" _What were you doing at Ms. Joss's cabin?_ "

John thought quickly, "I met her and her daughter up at the pool while Shaw and I were keeping close to the Wixoms. Her daughter fell and I wanted to make sure they arrived to their cabin safely," he said, he thought which sounded reasonable.

" _Oh, well that's nice of you_ ," Donnelly said with laughter lacing his voice. " _I get it Reese: she's hot isn't she?_ "

John paused mid-stride. "Excuse me?" he demanded testily as the sudden desire to be Shaw like and go back to pummel Donnelly for even looking at Joss in such a way. "Aren't you married?" John growled.

" _Married, not dead, my friend, and Joss IS a very beautiful woman_." Donnelly said with a large booming laugh that didn't cease John's urge to kill him. " _I don't blame you for checking her out since you are a single healthy man and I_ _ **really**_ _do not blame you for wanting to get away from that lunatic partner of yours. Shaw would drive lesser men to suicide or to the bottle."_

John rolled his eyed. "Well thank you for the permission, Donnelly, and yes she's beautiful but that wasn't why I went there,' he muttered indignantly. He wasn't telling Donnelly the truth, that Joss was a woman he had one night with that resulted in an accidental pregnancy, and that Maddie was his, and he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her mother for the last five years. Nope, that wasn't happening. It was bad enough that he was going to have to give Shaw some form of an answer about who Joss was, what the hell was going on, but that didn't include Donnelly.

" _Good_ ," Donnelly said and John stiffened.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

" _Nothing really, Reese. It's just that you're a workaholic and a loner, there is a reason why your colleagues, including me, used to call you Wolf_ ," Donnelly spoke rationally but John didn't understand why that meant he shouldn't get involved with Joss. " _No woman wants to play second fiddle to a career, Reese_."

John hesitated before speaking, "Well maybe I wouldn't work so much if I had someone to come home to."

" _Yea, maybe,"_ Donnelly agreed not sounding convinced _. "But this one has a kid and a cute one at that. Ms. Joss is not the prime candidate to test your theory out on."_

"So?—lots of men date women with children and there is no issue," John pointed out, not sure why he was arguing with Donnelly when he didn't want the man to know that he was interested in Joss in the first place.

" _Very true, but those men aren't you, Reese_ ," Donnelly said jovially and John faltered.

John felt his confidence sway, his feelings of not being good enough grew. "What type of man am I?" he wondered as he stabbed his index finger into the elevator's button for his deck number. He didn't know why it hurt to hear he wasn't Joss's type, but it did.

" _Oh that's easy: the guy who finds the most beautiful buxom blond who doesn't want any commitments. I was there when you had that Homeland Security Agent Martine Rousseau proposition you and didn't bother to hide her desire for a more than platonic relationship between the two of you_ ," Donnelly said with a laugh.

"So you don't see me as a settling down type?" John continued. Donnelly had no idea that his comments were chipping away at his resolve to ask Joss to try a relationship with him. If Donnelly didn't think he had a chance with her what made him believe he did?—just because they shared an intense chemistry and a daughter didn't mean they could make a life together. Who was he kidding?—he had nothing to offer Joss; he hadn't had any family and been alone for so long he wouldn't even know how to fit in one. Would he only end up hurting Joss and their daughter? And hurting Joss or Maddie would devastate him.

" _Maybe, if you were marrying the bureau_!"

John swallowed hard. "Do you think I'd make a good father, Donnelly?" he wondered softly as he rode down to Deck 8. Donnelly was a father, he valued his opinion.

Donnelly paused. " _Why do you ask?—thinking about adopting that giant woman-child known as your partner? I mean you do feed her and make her act like an actual person from time to time,"_ Donnelly asked humorously.

"Can you just answer the question truthfully?" John demanded gruffly as the elevator doors opened and he stepped out.

" _I think if you ever have a kid you'd make a very good father, John_ ," Donnelly answered sincerely, realizing the answer mattered a lot to his friend. Or at least he viewed them as friends, he wasn't so sure if John did or not.

Donnelly wondered if there was more to this conversation than met the eye. Maybe Reese really did want something with Ms. Joss and suddenly he felt like a jackass for laughing it off. In all the time he's known Reese he never been in a relationship and it wasn't because Reese was some playboy, the guy didn't bounce from woman to woman. At least he'd never seen it, he never seen Reese flirt with a woman when they went and got drinks from time to time….in fact the women always flirted with him while he had a look of indifference on his face. And as he saw Reese leaving Ms. Joss's cabin he looked anything but indifferent. Perhaps the reason Reese was alone was because the guy was a total introvert and needed the right woman, or in this case—with Maddie and Joss—ladies, to draw him out.

Donnelly needed to remove his foot from his mouth immediately. " _Hey Reese, people can change so just because you're a workaholic now doesn't mean you'll always be. You might find someone that changes your mind._ " Donnelly quickly added, not wanting to call to question whether or not Reese was interested in Joss, because if Reese wanted to scope out a relationship, a real one, than more power to the guy. Reese deserved to be happy and work didn't keep you company when you were lonely; Joss seemed to be a nice woman and Maddie was cute as a button.

John smiled as he felt a little of his confidence that was shaken come back. "Thanks Donnelly," he murmured before he disconnected with the man walking unhurriedly to his cabin room number. He sighed as Shaw was leaning up against the door in her black bikini, arms crossed, looking ready to commit murder, and eyes on him as he approached.

"Sorry for making you wait, honey," John said tugging out the sea-pass to get into the room.

Shaw slid away from the door. "Don't mention it, _dear_ ," she sneered. He opened the door for them and she entered first. She waited a moment until the door shut and was locked before demanding, "Who the hell is that 'Joss' woman?—and no more ignoring the fucking question."

John turned to glare at Shaw, who responded in kind, and they entered one of their glare-downs and this was one that Shaw wasn't going to lose! Neither said anything or buckled under the intense glares before Reese exhaled in agitation as he broke eye contact.

John rubbed a hand through his hair. "Fine, I'll tell you." He gave in, which was totally uncharacteristic for him. But he needed to tell someone and Shaw was the only viable option at the moment, but more than that, she was his friend and partner.

Shaw grinned, finally winning one of their glare-downs! "So tell me,"

"I will, but only after you make me a promise, Shaw."

She narrowed her eyes. "What kind of promise?" she asked suspiciously.

"I want you to promise me that you won't try to run Joss off. She matters to me and I'm not sure why the hell you have decided to butt into my personal affairs, but with her you're not going to, got it?" John stated sternly. "You're my friend and, hell, you're like a little sister I didn't want, but I can't lose you. You deserve to know what's going on, but I won't tell you a god damn thing until you make me this promise," he admitted and Shaw hid a smile, not about to reveal how much those words meant to her. Shaw always wondered if he felt their bond too, but was too stubborn to ask.

"Who the hell is she?" Shaw asked in a way of agreeing to his terms.

John looked at her warily, knowing without a doubt that this wasn't going to go well. But Shaw did deserve to know the truth, she deserved to know what was preoccupying his mind so she didn't get blindsided since his head wasn't on the case.

He steeled himself for her explosion, "Joss and I met almost five years ago and we had one night," he said slowly and he looked Shaw dead in the eyes. "She's the mother of my child…Maddie is my daughter," he murmured, waiting for it.

And Shaw did not disappoint him.

* * *

Joss was finishing putting her teardrop diamond earrings in her ears before fixing her hair over her shoulders. She had curled just the ends and left her hair down. "Mommy you're so pre-tty!" Maddie sang happily as she bounced on their bed sitting with her legs crossed.

Joss turned to look back at her daughter with a smile. Joss had changed into a fitted sunny yellow, off shoulder, skater dress with her new favorite white three inched heeled strappy, with a peep toe, sandals. She had splurged on the dresses and shoes for her and her daughter, finding some cute pink sandals for Maddie. She didn't do this often and she told herself that was why she had a credit card. She wanted them to wow daddy. Maybe they couldn't oust the fact that Maddie was his to the world and to their daughter until after the cruise, unless circumstances changed which she doubted, but that didn't mean that she couldn't dress to tongue-tie John. And that was the effect she was going for. She had been so giddy to let her baby know she found her daddy that she had selfishly forgotten the fact that John was here working a case. It was careless and Selma's life was more important. Maddie waited this long, she could wait five more days.

She walked to the bed as Maddie stood up on it. "Not as beautiful as you are," she said, playing with her daughter's braids and her daughter laughed, wrapping her arms around Joss's waist.

"Do you think John will like my dress, mommy?"

Joss smiled as she pretended to ponder the question. "Let me take a look at you," Joss murmured, lifting her daughter under the arms and setting her on her feet on the floor. "Twirl baby!"

Maddie giggled as she put her hands on her hips and gave her a cute little two-step twirl, braids flying. Maddie liked this pricy cute sleeveless pink midi-dress and she couldn't say no to it.

Maddie turned to look back at her with a wide toothy grin on her little face. "He's going to love it," Joss assured her princess.

"Really?"

Joss nodded as she picked her daughter up plopping her onto the bed. "You really like John don't you?"

Maddie got bashful all of a sudden. "Yes."

Joss smiled. Her daughter felt the instant connection and didn't understand it, she just knew she wanted to be around John more. "Tell you what, sweetheart, just because we are on vacation I'll let you wear a little blush," Joss said, knowing it didn't make up for the fact that she couldn't tell her daughter she found her father but it would make her little munchkin happy. Her daughter's eyes widened big as saucers.

"YAAAAAAY!" Maddie squealed, so happy, because mommy didn't allow her to wear makeup. Joss chuckled as her baby was hopping up and down on the bed on her knees. Joss turned to go grab her makeup bag and bring it over. "Lipstick too mommy!"

Joss shook her head. "No lipstick."

"PLEASSSSSSSE!"

"Nope, that doesn't work on me. But I'll tell you what, I'll paint your nails pink to match your dress," she bargained, knowing her daughter was very much a girly girl and wanted to wear makeup like mommy, but Joss wasn't letting her four year old wear makeup no matter what. She set the bag down in front of her baby. Maddie immediately began opening the bag up. Joss looked up as her cell began ringing. "You can look at the makeup but do not touch. Mommy needs to see who that is," she stipulated with a loving touch to her daughter's face.

"Ok."

Joss smiled as she exited the bedroom and found her cell on the table in the corner of the cabin nearest the veranda, picking it up and smiling when she saw who was calling her. She answered immediately. "Hey baby," Joss greeted her teenage son.

"Hi mom, how's the cruise?"

"Great, we both just wish you were here."

"I wish I could be there too, mom. But how's Maddie taking it in so far?"

"She's having fun but you know your little sister, she's nothing but a ball of energy," she said with a laugh that Taylor chimed in with. "So how's school?"

"Finished one of my three reports that are due, I was in the middle of studying until I needed a break and decided to see how you and Maddie were fairing."

Joss frowned when she eyed the clock in the cabin. It should be early afternoon in California. "How long have you been working, young man?" she demanded.

"Oh mooooom," he drew out her name as if that would keep her from reprimanding him. It didn't.

"Don't 'oh mom' me, you slept last night correct?" she stated.

"Define sleep…" her boy hedged.

"Taylor Paul Carter, you need rest."

"I also need to finish all these papers and study for my tests, mom," he said quietly. "I'm fine. I just drank an extra Red Bull and I'll go to bed early tonight." Taylor said quickly to circumvent a lecture she was gearing up to give. "I promise mom," he added with his best begging voice. She exhaled.

"Alright, I'll save my lecture about taking care of yourself for when you come home this summer," she relented and it was her boy's turn to sigh, which made her smile. "What? Did you really think I'd shelf my lecture forever?—I don't think so. I don't give a damn about all As that you're striving for, I care about you and your well-being. But we'll go into that _at length_ when you are home," Joss said firmly.

"Where's my favorite girl?" Taylor asked dejectedly, realizing he wasn't going to wiggle out of the lecture.

Joss looked into the bedroom, seeing Maddie still sitting in the middle of the bed looking through mommy's makeup and nail polish. "Maddie is in the middle of looking through my makeup bag while she waits for mommy to paint her nails and apply blush that she gets to wear on this one special occasion."

"Can you put her on, I want to say hi?" Taylor asked. "I miss my baby sister."

"I will in a minute, but I need to tell you something while she's engrossed with the makeup." Joss admitted as she glanced back inside, seeing Maddie was eyeing the lipstick longingly. Joss felt her lips twitch in response before moving back so she couldn't see Maddie and put the phone to her ear. "Okay, she's busy wishing she could wear the lipstick without mommy knowing."

"What's going on mom?"

Joss lowered her voice before saying, "I found her daddy," she said quietly in the corner of the cabin, eyes on the bedroom door ready to change subjects the immediate moment Maddie got bored with the makeup.

"NO WAY!" Taylor said incredulously.

"Way," she agreed.

"He's on the cruise with you!"

"Yep, and that is thanks to my good friends, Harold and Grace, because he's friends with them," Joss explained.

"Wow, what a small world," Taylor said and she nodded her head in agreement. "Soooo?—what did he have to say about Maddie?"

"He wants her."

Taylor was quiet for a moment. "Well that's good to hear since Maddie deserves a father in her life unlike I had. And you seem to really like this guy."

She sighed. "How do you know that?" she grumbled.

"Mom, I could just tell when you were telling me about being pregnant and I asked who was the guy and you got this look on your face. You weren't smooth at all," he said with a laugh.

Joss frowned. "I was that transparent, huh?"

"It was pretty bad." Taylor agreed before growing serious. "Did he explain why he never came back?"

"No because there are complications, honey," Joss admitted as she began pacing, still keeping eyes on the door.

"What kind of complications, mom?"

"Well for starters he's an FBI agent and he's working undercover posing as a married man," she said and Taylor made a sound of disbelief. "Yea and that's not even the worst of it, Tay. The people he was sent here to watch is in the cabin next door to mine which makes telling Maddie he's her father nearly impossible."

"That sucks."

"Majorly," Joss agreed forlornly. "All I want to do is tell Maddie I found her daddy for her and I can't. And John wants her but he can't do anything with this stupid case!" Joss said in frustration, truly wishing the case wasn't real.

"I'm sorry, mom."

"Me too! This is not at all the way I envisioned finding John but I won't cry the blues. This is the situation we are in and I have no intentions of letting what happened five years ago happen again."

"You mean with him leaving and never coming back."

"Precisely, I did manage to get John to agree to drinks for a couple hours tomorrow so we can talk about why he never came back. And then we will figure out when and how to tell Maddie."

"Sounds like you have your work cut out for you there, mom."

She chuckled. "You don't even know the half of it," she mumbled. She ached for John and couldn't have him, what a cruel fate. Harold and Grace gave her the chance to find John again but the circumstances were less than desirable making her wish they had found a different way of giving her the gift of John. However she wasn't going to waste the opportunity they did give her. She was going to find a way to get everything she ever wanted and not blow John's cover to kingdom come in the process.

* * *

AN: I needed to find a way to work Taylor into this and this was it. Harold has some 'splanin to do of his own but that won't be for another couple chapters :) Next chapter:

 **Ch 10: Xs and Os and Woes, Oh My!  
**

I particularly like this title for a couple reasons but it's unfair since I know what happens ;D Thanks for reading!


	11. Ch 10: Xs and Os and Woes, Oh My!

Shaw wanted to murder someone, preferably that Joss woman, but Reese made it so that she was off-limits. Donnelly was maintaining silence as he stayed at their stateroom for the evening to keep an eye on the Wixoms' room which meant she couldn't take out her mood on him either.

"Keep up that look and someone is bound to think you suck on lemons for fun," John murmured gently, trying to lighten her up a bit as he escorted Shaw out of the elevator towards the chosen restaurant.

He felt her nails dig into his forearm but she didn't respond. John knew he had put a lot on Shaw's plate, because she complained enough earlier, but she needed to know the truth. He made a face as they slowed their pace down considerably when they landed behind an elderly couple. Shaw looked around to speed past them but found they were walking dead center.

Her hand dug into his forearm further. "Can they walk any slower? I've seen cars going in reverse move forward faster!" she snapped as she leered at them from behind.

John rolled his eyes. "They are elderly, you know one of these days you are going to be this decrepit too," he reminded her.

"Yea, well, you'll reach that stage first," she sniped back. He hoped she'd focus on their back and forth and not this poor innocent older couple in front of them. "Besides they have one foot in the grave already, no one will ever know…"

"Shaw, you can't murder them for walking slow," he whispered darkly.

"Why not?"

"Oh I don't know, because they're old," John said in exasperation.

"They're not just old Reese; I've seen ancient relics younger than the old prunes in front of us," Shaw snarled in agitation, needing to take her foul mood out on someone and these vacationers around her would be fine. The older couple turned, obviously having overheard the entire conversation, and glared at them before moving off to the side.

"Sam, be nice," John snapped. Shaw looked up at him and a cocked a brow. "Right, what was I thinking?—at least don't be downright rude. Didn't your mother ever teach you: if you don't have anything nice to say not to say anything at all?"

"I thought that was Thumper from Bambi?" she muttered as they approached Luminae.

John's lip twitched. "It's good to know you watch cartoons, Shaw. Perhaps one of these days you and Maddie can watch them together."

She glowered at the mention of his little ankle-biter. She didn't know why she was so angry but she was. Maybe it was because even she had known Reese always wanted a kid, he was such a fucking moron around them, so it wasn't too hard to tell. And the fact that he had one that he never knew about, enraged her and he was so damned lucky he made her promise to not kill that Joss, or she would have been placed at the top of her hit list, bumping Donnelly from numero uno.

John stopped short. "Hey," he demanded and Shaw looked at him. "Can you at least try to like them?—Maddie isn't going anywhere, now that I know she's mine," he asked.

Shaw shrugged. "I'll probably like Maddie since she's half you, so she has to be kickass."

He sighed as that would be all he could ask for now. Maybe after their undercover gig was over he could really talk to Shaw and have her understand what had happened with Joss. John blanked his expression as they stepped forward to the hostess of the restaurant to tell them they were under the reservation for the Wixoms. They followed behind the hostess and found the Wixoms and Joss and Maddie already there.

"What? Are we fashionably late?" Shaw said cheerfully with a smile, so unlike herself.

John paused to stare at Joss who smiled at him. Good god, she was breathtaking and her look grew knowingly. He pulled his gaze from her so he didn't gawk like a teenager and his eyes fell onto their daughter, who turned and a smile broke out on her cute face.

"JOHN!" Maddie squealed in happiness, as she hopped off the chair and ran to him, throwing her arms around his legs. He smiled down at her as he reached down and touched her soft cheek. He swallowed hard. Maddie was so perfect. "Look at my dress, do you like it?!" she demanded as she bounced away and gave him a little twirl.

"It's beautiful, just like you."

Maddie grinned, happy at the praise before grabbing his hand. "Sit next to me and my mommy." Maddie said tugging his hand.

"Maddie…."Joss began. She had tried to warn Maddie the entire walk over here that John might not be able to spend as much time with them as she wanted him too. The way the chairs were situated John would be next to Maddie and his partner who was supposed to be his wife.

"No it's okay, we'll switch since the ankl—Maddie would like my husband to sit between you two," Shaw assured.

Joss was surprised before masking it. "Maddie, what do you say to Sam?"

Maddie turned to Shaw. "Thank you lady!" she said happily.

Shaw looked awkward as she shifted from foot to foot. "Er...you're welcome, kiddo."

John clenched his teeth together so his jaw didn't drop. Should he check Shaw for a temperature? What was wrong with her?—she was being nice? Shaw wasn't nice or polite...to anyone.

Selma smiled at Shaw. "You and your husband are the sweetest," she said softly.

John fought the bubble of laughter at that statement. He was sure no one ever in their life used 'sweet' to describe Shaw before this very moment. He looked at Shaw and they shared an amused look before they both covered it as Shaw moved to take Joss's seat.

Joss collected the purse she brought that housed Maddie's tablet as she stood and John stared at her. He couldn't help staring at her. He knew that Selma and Nigel were there but at the moment he didn't even pretend to care. Hopefully Shaw distracted them. He'd buy her ten steak dinners if she'd do that for him this once because he just needed a moment to gather himself as he hadn't been anticipating Joss to be wearing something so…so…enticing.

Shaw made a face as Reese eyeballed the woman she'd love to vaporize, so she turned and struck up small talk to buy him some time. He so fucking owed her for this!

John groaned as he shifted, willing his body to not respond to Joss's very attractive one. She was small, but she was wearing heels that added some height to her, making her eyes and her rich red lips nearly impossible to miss, as if he could have before. He licked his, wanting to suck on her lips, so he pushed his gaze down trying to curb the urge but it was a bad idea. Because the yellow dress that she was wearing reached mid-thigh and showed off her shoulders. His tongue danced behind his teeth as he recalled licking nearly every inch of her skin. He could distinctly remember the dewy taste; it was delectable and heady and he wanted another sampling so damn much.

Joss nearly got lost in John's eyes that were darkening with desire and she wished they weren't in a room full of people until a rough grasp on her wrist brought her back to reality. She looked at his partner seeing fury radiating in her brown eyes. Clearly John told the woman the truth about her and Maddie.

" _Enough eye sex_ _before you get knocked up again_ ," Shaw growled for her ears only, before raising her voice for the sake of her cover, "I'll let you borrow my husband for now, but I'd love to get to know you better, Joss," she announced, sounding innocent enough but got the true point across.

Joss nodded curtly, understanding that they were going to have a chat in the very near future and Joss was damn sure it was going to go belly-up. It was clear this woman was fiercely protective of John and she found it a mix of annoying and so damn cute. John didn't need a protector but it seemed Shaw took the role very seriously.

"Same here, Sam," she agreed airily for the sake of John's and her cover before dropping her voice to a low whisper for his partner's ears only and said, "Because I'm not going _anywhere,_ no matter what you say or do."

Joss tugged her arm free and she thought she saw another smirk on the woman's face but she couldn't be sure. Joss didn't even care because she moved over to the chair where she figured Shaw would sit beside John and took it. John sat between her and Maddie, with Shaw beside Maddie on the other side of the round table, with Selma on her other side. Nigel was seated between his wife and her, so the round table was filled finally and the dinner that was going to take everything in her to finish could finally start.

Shaw was watchful of Reese and Maddie, noting that the little girl was already trying to dominate his time. She vaguely listened to Selma who was talking to her as she glanced at Joss—Reese's whatever she was—speaking to Nigel.

The waitress appeared to take their food order as Selma and Nigel had already ordered a bottle of the best champagne and for Maddie a Shirley Temple, a Sprite with cherry syrup and a cherry, which excited Maddie since she never got to drink soda.

"Mommy let me wear blush," Maddie told John.

He smiled. "She did, well it looks perfect on you and your mommy," he murmured.

John nearly jumped out of his skin as he felt Joss lay a hand on his thigh. He tugged his gaze off their daughter to look at Joss and saw her looking at him before she smiled as their eyes connected as she caressed his thigh. Their lips were close as they seated close together and all he had to do was lean in just a few inches and capture her lips with his. But the moment was broken when his eyes widened a bit as he felt Joss allow her hand wander upwards. He ceased the movement resting a hand on hers.

"Mommy, my tablet please," Maddie requested sweetly as she sat on the chair on her knees, making both Joss and John jump.

Joss discreetly removed her hand from John's thigh as she immediately reached inside her purse, pulling out the small pink tablet she got her baby for Christmas. She loaded the thing with games and learning apps. Her daughter was going to be over ready for kindergarten. She tended to bring the tablet with her when she knew Maddie was going to be surrounded by all adults so she wouldn't get bored and get mischievous to quench that boredom.

She handed it to Maddie who promptly showed John it as if he never seen a tablet before. John, being the good sport, pretended to not know and asked questions so she'd show him, making the little girl supremely happy to have John's undivided attention.

"John, truly you and Sam need to have children because you'd make a wonderful father," Selma said. Joss and Shaw both nearly choked on their champagne.

John looked up and plastered a smile on his face. "Maybe someday," he said, leaving off 'when hell froze over'.

"Play tic-tac-toe with me, John," Maddie said loudly as she grabbed his forearm to get his attention back to her.

"Maddie…" Joss warned, finally being able to recover from nearly choking to death.

It was John's turn to rest a hand on her thigh which he noted jolted her and he nearly groaned at the feel of her thigh under his hand. It was so tantalizingly soft. All he had to do is let his hand slide up and he'd be between her legs where he knew she'd be wet. He just knew it. And he could slip his fingers deep inside her and rub her clitoris. He wished to taste her again. God did he miss her taste. She was so divine.

John shook himself free of the sexual fog that was trying to fill his brain as he gave her thigh a gentle squeeze before removing his hand halfheartedly because if he didn't he would be doing just as he wished.

"It's okay, I'll play with her," he murmured, still awestruck to be sitting next to the daughter he didn't know he had til earlier this afternoon. It wasn't a bother. While he needed to maintain his cover he also wanted to spend time with his daughter. And this dinner party was innocent enough that the Wixoms wouldn't know that there was more going on than met the eye.

Joss leaned over so she could whisper for his ears. "Don't let her win every game, Maddie needs to learn she loses too." she instructed and he smiled in agreement before shifting his focus to his daughter.

Shaw narrowed her eyes on Reese and his kid. Now that she saw them together the girl did have Reese's eyes, they were bright and blue. She lifted her gaze off the pair and saw Selma, Nigel, and _that_ woman talking. That was fine by her it gave her a chance to observe and not have to keep up appearances and could unscrew her fake smile for a bit.

John let Maddie win the first two but he snuck a win on the third one. "I won…finally, you're one tough tic-tac-toe player, Maddie," he said and Maddie giggled as she ducked her head shyly. He leaned in closer to her. "Do you know what Xs and Os mean, Maddie?" he wondered.

Maddie looked up in confusion and shook her head. "What?"

He smiled down at her. "X means hugs and O means kisses," he explained which was met with a snort from Shaw and he thought he heard an 'awww' out of Selma. Selma-Gordon Wixom was a plain ole' softie wasn't she?

But he couldn't find out what Joss thought because Maddie stood up on the chair and flung her arms around his neck as she laughed merrily. John couldn't help but smile as he slid an arm around her while he held the tablet in his other hand. Maddie really did have an infectious laugh, John actually saw Shaw's lips twitch before she reinforced her scowl to keep the smile from forming.

"I'm Os so that means…" he started then paused because he gave her a loud noisy kiss on the cheek which sent the little girl into a fit of giggles.

"I'm Os next! I'm Os next!" Maddie squealed in delight as she clung to his neck, hugging him tight.

Joss shoved her chair back. "I'll be right back; I need to use the ladies' room," she said breathlessly, excusing herself. She needed to go hide in the bathroom before she blew John's cover. They were too cute and this was too much; she needed to be alone for a moment to collect herself.

Shaw perked her head up as she watched Reese's whatever the hell she was hurrying to the bathroom without sparing her daughter or Reese a glance. Now was her chance! She shoved her chair back too. "Yea, I got to piss too!" Shaw announced.

John glared at her as Maddie crawled on him to sit on his lap. "Sam," he said with voice low with caution.

"Sorry, little ears, I gotta pee," Shaw corrected, or as much as she could with her limited social skills, and he exhaled as he eyed Selma and Nigel apologetically.

"Sorry, sometimes my wife forgets…." he trailed off as he wanted to say: to be normal, to be a human but neither were options he could use to describe Shaw because Sam Jones wasn't either of those. Sameen Shaw, FBI agent, with a personality disorder was.

Selma and Nigel waved off his apology. "It's alright, we think she's adorable."

John nearly laughed but caught himself, not wanting to offend the nice couple that was their target. He filed that tidbit away for the future to harass Shaw with. He was currently worried about the fact that Joss was going to be alone with Shaw for any amount of time. But with Maddie in his lap and practically putting the tablet in front of his face for his attention he couldn't fully focus on it. He had his daughter to spend time with.

* * *

Joss took a couple deep calming breaths as she rested her hands against the granite countertop in the posh bathroom of the restaurant. She bowed her head trying to calm the maelstrom inside her at the scene John and Maddie made.

She lifted her head up immediately when the robust sound of the door to the ladies' room burst open and John's partner entered with a sour look on her face. Joss stiffened, not about to show any sign of weakness in front of this woman, as she straightened and folded her arms across her chest.

"What do you want?" Joss asked stiffly. Couldn't this have waited just a few more minutes?

Shaw shrugged but didn't make a move away from the door as if readying herself to growl at any poor woman that dared to enter and interfere. "We weren't fully introduced the other day; you know the one where Reese was busy sucking on your tits."

Joss lifted her chin in defiance. "My name is Joss Carter," she introduced herself.

"Carter it is, you can call me Shaw."

Joss nodded briskly. "Alright, Shaw…I'm assuming he told you the truth."

"You assumed right," Shaw agreed flatly. "He told me about you and about Maddie. He told me it's his fault, not yours for why he never knew about her."

Joss cocked a brow. "But you don't believe that; you believe it's my fault?" she supplied.

"No it's most likely Reese's," Shaw stated, surprising her. Joss had been sure she was going to be blamed and truly there was no fault. John thought it was his and while some could say it was, Joss didn't. She just wanted to understand what happened and move forward.

His partner hopped up onto the countertop flailing her legs like a kid as she leaned her back against the mirror before continuing, "Reese has a thing for you which I'm not entirely sure why yet?—you're nothing special, but he's my friend I have to protect."

Joss arched a brow, not reacting to the slight but rather the fact that this woman felt the need to protect John. "And who anointed you his protector?" she asked.

"Me. The moment the stupid bastard saved my life," Shaw snapped, leaning forward and animated for the first time since entering the bathroom.

Joss smiled inwardly. "From what I know about John is that he wouldn't see saving your life as a mistake and he wouldn't want you to feel like you owe him for it," she said softly.

"So what you are?-his fuck buddy for one night and suddenly you know him?" Shaw asked.

"I know him better than you do, if that's what you think," Joss stated coldly.

The door opened and a young woman was entering. Shaw eyed her darkly. "Get out, we're busy talking here," she barked.

Joss sighed as she looked at the woman. "I'm sorry, we're nearly through but it's girl talk, you can understand, right?" she asked sweetly. The woman nodded before eyeing Shaw with a look before whirling around and exiting. Joss looked at Shaw. "Did anyone ever tell you that you could catch more bees with honey?"

Shaw rolled her eyes. "I don't want to catch bees, I want them to attack and sting people in the eyes."

Joss chuckled abruptly. "You would," she muttered before getting back to their conversation. "Look, Shaw, I'm not going anywhere now that I found him. I need you to understand that. I get you are taking this role of protector very seriously because he saved your life, but he's the father to my daughter," she said sincerely.

Shaw eyed her with an expressionless look on her face. "Who are you, his good pussy?"

Joss jerked as if she was slapped and tight fury popped the lid off her temper. "I don't know who the hell you think you are but you're so damn lucky that we are in a restaurant or I'd throw your ass overboard!—cover blown or no!"

Shaw stopped flailing her legs for a moment. "You're not afraid of me are you?"

"No. I'm not." Joss said with a snarl. "John told me you have a personality disorder and I think you enjoy saying things to piss off people because you think you get a free pass at doing it by using your disorder to your advantage. Well that isn't going to work with me. You don't scare me Shaw, you anger me."

Shaw hopped off the countertop to stand directly in front of her, nearly daring her to pop her one. Joss was very close to doing it but how was she going to explain breaking John's supposed wife's nose to the Wixoms?— _oh sorry guys, Sam tripped and fell on my fist_. Yea that would go over real well since it seemed Selma genuinely liked Shaw.

"When we got on this cruise for this lame case; Reese and I talked about monogamy," Shaw said, which was so out of the blue that Joss felt like she had whiplash.

She recovered from her surprise. "I'm surprised you even know the term," Joss said.

"I do," Shaw agreed before she shivered and Joss chuckled shortly. Of course the thought of monogamy would give this woman the creeps. "But Reese made a comment that he never explained."

"And pray tell, what is that comment?"

"He said he believes there is the 'one' out there that makes you want to have sex with the same person over and over again. Sounds boring if you ask me, but Reese said that he never believed in it until recently."

"He said that?" Joss murmured.

"Yea and I asked him who was the good pussy and he told me that good sex wouldn't change his mind. But he never explained further than that," Shaw replied. Joss felt her temper over Shaw's comment earlier fully die out. Now that she knew the context; she didn't feel so angry. "And now I'm wondering if he was talking about you."

"I'm not talking to you about what we shared or didn't," Joss assured her.

His partner grinned wolfishly. "Oh I know what Reese shared with you,"Shaw said shrewdly.

Joss rolled her eyes in response. This woman had her say, now it was her turn. "I need to ask you something and I want a straight answer, Shaw."

"Ask away, Carter," Shaw offered.

"Do you have more than friendly feelings for John?" Joss asked point blank and Shaw's reaction was comical. Her mouth dropped open and then disgust filled her face.

"EW! That's like incestuous or something. What the fuck is wrong with you?" Shaw demanded with an utter look of horror, which was all she needed to know. Shaw wasn't harboring more than platonic feelings for John.

Joss softened. "It's good to know you think of John as a brother. But I needed to be sure Shaw. I needed you to know I'm not stepping back. John's the father to my daughter and someone I have thought about and wanted for a long time. Now that he's back in my life, I'm not letting him go."

Shaw's horror faded as she contemplated everything that was said before nodding. "Alright, but you date him, you're dating me too. I lost everyone when I was little. I floated from foster home to foster home until I joined the Marines. I never had a friend. And then I joined the FBI and was partnered with Reese who I hated until he saved my life and I realized I had someone I could trust," Shaw said gruffly. "And I…he's…" Shaw couldn't figure out the words and she didn't know what emotion was swirling inside her so she ignored it and focused on the one emotion she did know: anger. "Just don't hurt him or I'll snap your legs off," Shaw threatened.

Joss smiled softly, now this woman made even more sense. That had to be tough to not have anyone to depend on and now she had John and she was petrified of losing him. "I won't hurt him, Shaw, and if you're afraid you're going to lose him because of me: don't. I have no desire of taking your friendship away, it's clear you two are close, like brother and sister, and now I understand why you're so protective of that friendship. I would be too if I lost everyone and had no one," she said. The woman blinked in surprise as she stared at her but otherwise gave off no indication that she was even listening to her. "I think we can all co-exist together, even be friends, if you just give me a chance. You love him like a brother and I love him like the father to my daughter and the man I want to spend my life with."

Shaw didn't dispute the fact that she said that she loved him. Shaw stared at her for a while before saying, "We better go, Reese is going to get his knickers in a twist if I'm alone with you too long. He made me promise not to murder you," she said before turning around and exiting the bathroom.

Joss wondered if that was the first step in the right direction with Shaw. She didn't outright dismiss her or hurl more insults her way. So that had to mean something, right? She wanted Shaw to like her. Joss wanted Shaw to like her because Shaw was a big part of John's life. And she didn't want any awkwardness since she had no plans of leaving John's life and neither did Shaw.

* * *

AN: Shaw and Joss's interactions are always so fun to write. Shaw's a good friend she just takes things from 0 to 80 in seconds flat; though we all know Joss can run circles around the poor compact ball of anger :) Next chapter:

 **Ch 11: You+Me=Frustration  
**

Take that as you will and might not be what you think or could be ;D Thank you for reading XOX


	12. Ch 11: You & Me Equals Frustration

John and Shaw walked purposely towards their cabin after saying goodbye to first the Wixoms and then Maddie and Joss; though John had a tough time saying goodnight to them. He had watched wistfully as they left until Shaw elbowed him and they left to head back to their cabin to talk about the case with Donnelly. So far nothing was happening and both he and Shaw were beginning to believe that the death threats were nothing but hot air. They probably sent her death threats to scare her into dropping the lawsuit and when that didn't work, they continued the harassment just because they didn't get their way.

But now that they were alone, he was going to find out what the hell Joss and Shaw talked about because they had been gone in that bathroom for a while. "So now that we are alone, please tell me you didn't threaten Joss in any way when you blatantly left to go talk with her in the bathroom?" he asked curiously. Joss didn't look upset when they exited but that didn't mean that she wasn't, just that she was good at hiding how she felt. "I had to keep Selma talking to make sure she didn't try to follow you two in there," he added, which had been somewhat difficult with Maddie trying to gain his attention every second he turned it away from her, and for the fact that he wanted to dote on her. He just found out she was his and pretending she wasn't was very difficult.

"You managed," Shaw muttered. "Besides you should have to take one for the team since tomorrow you're taking practically a day off from our case so you, your girlfriend and your small fry can spend time together before you guys have drinks…alone. Hope you packed some condoms Reese, with all the eye fucking you two did tonight at dinner and from what I've seen of you two, you can't keep it in your pants! Or are you planning for a boy this time, seems like your sperm are champion swimmers?" Shaw stated, having fun.

John shot her a look that didn't wipe the stupid grin off Shaw's face. "First: I'm not taking the day off since I'm spending only the morning with Joss and Maddie for breakfast. And I'll be spending two hours with Joss at night for drinks. The rest of the time I'll be working. Secondly: if you had such a problem with it then why did _you_ suggest I have breakfast with them?" he demanded.

Shaw shrugged nonchalantly. "Because if you'd be at the cabin for breakfast with me I'd have to share with you, with you gone I won't have to. It was done with my own welfare in mind," Shaw explained, not about to admit that she didn't like the look on Reese's face as he eyed Maddie. It had been crestfallen at the fact that he couldn't spend time with her and he didn't ask for this lame ass case (neither did she) where he couldn't tell the little girl that he was her father or he'd blow their cover. For Reese she was willing to do anything once, even be nice.

John shook his head, not sure if he fully believed her reasoning but he wasn't going to complain or demand a real answer since Shaw was giving him a chance to spend more time with Maddie and Joss. And he so desperately wanted to spend more time with them, though he wanted to spend alone time with Joss that didn't include any clothes and not much talking. But that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

He shifted his attention back to the fact that Shaw hadn't answered his question, instead she had distracted him, so he reversed speed and repeated: "You didn't threaten Joss did you?" he demanded.

"No, you made me promise not to remember; and I take my promises to you very seriously," Shaw muttered, sounding disappointed that she couldn't pick a fight with Joss because of her promise to John.

John felt relieved. "Thanks, Shaw," he murmured appreciatively.

"Though it can't be said the same for Carter."

That surprised him. "Joss threatened you?" before he followed quickly with, "—what did you say to her to upset her?"

Shaw eyed him amused. "How do you know I said anything? Maybe she's just a crackpot!"

"It's you, Shaw, and Joss wouldn't have threatened you if you hadn't," he answered instantly. There was no way he would believe Joss would threaten Shaw unprovoked. Not the kind, caring, sexy, and funny woman he spent an entire evening and night with.

"Got all that from one night of fucking?"

John could hear her fishing for more information to understand them but he wasn't giving her anything. "Shaw…" he said lowly.

"Whatever, let's just say we had a misunderstanding of sorts," Shaw commented dryly. He wanted to keep secrets, so could she!

"That was vague at best. What sort of misunderstanding did you two have, Shaw?" he demanded as they approached the cabin, both walking slower to further their conversation.

Shaw smirked. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

He rolled his eyes in response. "I'm not telling you about Joss and me, Shaw," he stated, bemused with her and he decided to see how Shaw felt. "So do you like Joss?" he asked gently. He wanted Shaw to like Joss because he didn't really want there to be problems. Joss and Maddie weren't going away and he cared about Shaw for some stupid reason.

"No," Shaw growled immediately, but she really didn't sound to sincere.

"You haven't given her a chance."

"Don't need too. People suck. You don't. Simple," Shaw stated as she grabbed the door to their cabin to effectively cease their conversation because she didn't want him to poke holes in her theory. She wasn't going to like this Carter, she refused to on the basis that she was going to be just like everyone else out in the world besides Reese: lame.

Donnelly was lounged back on the couch watching the laptop screen. "Get the fuck off my bed!" Shaw bellowed in aggravation as she stormed inside the cabin, effectively tearing Donnelly's gaze off the screen and he removed the headphones.

"It's nice to see you again too, Shaw," Donnelly muttered as he swung his legs off the couch and stood up. Shaw glared at him as she eyed the couch as if Donnelly brought bugs with him or something.

John rolled his eyes. "Anything happen while they were out?" he asked, purposefully ignoring Shaw.

"No, because this case is as dull as a butter knife," Shaw grumbled. Speaking of butter knife, she was hungry; they ate dinner and dessert an entire hour ago. She stormed over to the phone to call for room service.

"Actually something did happen." Donnelly disputed which had Shaw's hand stopping in mid-air as she reached for the phone. She whirled around to look at him with a new hunger.

"Something happened?—with our lame case?" she asked hopefully.

Donnelly nodded before looking at Reese and then back at Shaw. "Someone broke into their suite and I use 'break in' loosely since they appeared to be wearing similar clothes as to me," Donnelly explained as he set the laptop down on the bed and bent to draw up a screen-capture of the said woman. All three of them leaned in close and narrowed their eyes on the screen-capture of the woman.

John looked at Donnelly. "Do you recognize her?" he wondered.

"No. In the last two days working as a butler I have never seen that woman. It's always Demetrius, me, and Flo,"Donnelly answered.

"Is it possible that there are more butlers on different decks?" Shaw asked.

"Not quite sure, we should check our notes to see what Intel got for us or we can contact my partner and see if she can get the answer for us from Celebrity. At first I was jealous of my partner who is still on dry land when I got pulled onto this case, until now. This case might actually be something," Donnelly murmured, suddenly showing some interest in the case, just like John and Shaw.

John nodded. "What did the mystery woman do in the room?"

"Looked around for the most part and by the time I showed up she had already escaped. I didn't see her do much of anything else other than look through their belongings like a creep. She didn't take anything that I could see," Donnelly informed them.

Shaw and John nodded. "We need to stay close to the Wixoms even more now," John murmured before he sighed. He was going to have to cancel breakfast with Joss and Maddie.

Shaw glanced at him. "Just because some random chick went in there unwanted doesn't mean she's a true threat. She could just be a thief that is using being a butler as a means to get into nice suites and rip people off. This mystery broad might be just casing their suite to see if they had anything valuable to steal. Once we know if there are any more butlers or not than we know what we are working with. Besides, I can keep an eye on the Wixoms in the morning myself. I have a pair of eyeballs you know," Shaw stated, easily reading his mind.

Donnelly eyed them with confusion. "What's going on?"

Shaw smirked as she eyed Donnelly. "Reese _likes_ someone," Shaw stated obscenely.

"Oh yes, Ms. Joss, I already knew that," Donnelly said with a laugh and John rolled his eyes. "Sorry, John, you weren't very smooth earlier."

Shaw's smirk died on her face as she turned to look at Reese angrily. "He knows?!" she confronted, enraged. "He knew before I did?!"

"He knows I left Joss's room after I escorted Maddie and Joss back to their room," John explained with a pointed look and Shaw's brows crinkled as she read his expression.

Donnelly, who missed the fact that the two were communicating telepathically, spoke, "Yea, unlike you Shaw; I can pick out when someone is into someone."

Shaw tugged her gaze off Reese feeling immensely better that Donnelly didn't know the full extent of what Carter and Maddie was to Reese. But her anger did not die down because the stupid ass had to keep talking.

"And what the hell does that mean, Donnelly?"

"My partner: Root, Agent Groves, she's into you and you don't give her the time of day," Donnelly explained with a sigh. Root was a great partner even if she was a little on the weird side, but she was a good person; the thing was she had a crush on Shaw for some odd reason.

Shaw scoffed. "That's because she's a nerd and she actually thinks her two gun routine isn't lame! You're more badass than she is which is saying something since you're about as badass as a Meter Maid," Shaw retorted with annoyance.

John ignored the two as Donnelly and Shaw exchanged insults at each other. He grabbed the file to check into what Intel had for them to see if they would need to utilize Root's assistance or not. He rolled his eyes as Shaw and Donnelly continued to bitch at each other, wishing Donnelly would leave so he could get blissful silence. These two argued more than an old married couple.

"Yea well how about I rip your testicles off and—"

"Shaw enough! Donnelly was just leaving," John murmured without looking up, having enough.

Shaw paused in her threat and scowled at Donnelly, realizing Reese's tone and she immediately clammed up, settling for glaring at him to death.

Donnelly looked at Reese incredulously. "Seriously, what the hell do you have on her that you get her to listen to you?" he grumbled.

John looked up. "Nothing, now I suggest that you leave, Donnelly. We'll call you if we need Root's assistance," he commanded authoritatively.

Donnelly nodded. "Yea, I'm bushed." he agreed as he turned and headed for the door.

When Donnelly left Shaw waltzed over to where Reese stood. "Shaw, can you do me a favor?" John commented.

Shaw shook her head as she said, "No, I'm not sleeping in Donnelly's room so you can bang your girlfriend."

John looked her dead in the eyes. "Can you try to get along with Donnelly?" he asked completely ignoring her comment.

"I am. He doesn't suck quite as much as I first figured."

He cocked a brow. Well that was a start he supposed. "You call threatening to rip his testicles off getting along with him?" he questioned.

"Yea, it was a threat. I didn't actually do it," Shaw reasoned.

John rolled his eyes.

Shaw added, "Besides, we both know you're not really frustrated with Donnelly and me; you're just sexually frustrated because you want to nail Carter so badly you can taste it."

John decided to ignore her and concentrate on the case because she wasn't saying anything that was untrue.

* * *

Since leaving the dinner she had taken her baby up to the deck where the Fun Factory room was located so her daughter could partake in the treasure hunt. Joss had gotten a massage while she was gone trying to relieve some pent up frustration and then proceeded to head back to her cabin until she picked Maddie up at nine when the event was over. Her mind was on John the entire time, on how he interacted with their daughter and how much she wanted him in their life for years to come. And not just for Maddie, though Maddie was a big part of it. Maddie and John belonged together, they were so darn cute, and she liked to think that she and John belonged together too. Five years have come and gone and no man made her feel like he did.

Joss decided to call Grace. She needed someone to spill too and she had a question or two for her friend that needed dire answers too. The phone rang a couple times until Grace's soft and pleasant voice filtered through.

"Hi Grace is this a good time or no?" Joss asked, taking a sip of her bottled water.

"Anytime you call is a good time, Joss," Grace said sweetly.

"You are such a charmer, Grace," Joss teased as she eased back on the couch playing with the hem of her dress as she thought about John's look as he eyed her in it. She felt like the sexiest woman in the world. Hell, she felt like she was the only woman in the world when he looked at her.

"Where's Maddie; I'd like to say hi. In fact Leila would love to say hi to Maddie too, she misses her. She's in her room with daddy reading."

"Daddy's little girl is becoming a little book worm too, eh?" Joss teased, knowing of Harold Finch's impressive library. He had a lot of first editions.

Grace laughed. "Oh yes, she is very much the little book worm, not so much artsy. Now Madeline is artsy and tries to help Leila."

"Don't I know it! My mother is teaching her how to sew and once Maddie masters the smalls she is going to teach my baby how to make her own clothes," Joss said as she leaned her head back with a smile on her face, thinking about her daughter. "But to answer your question; Maddie is at the Fun Factory until nine because they were doing some sort of treasure hunt." Though she wondered if her daughter contemplated a way to sneak John in there somehow, Joss giggled to herself.

"I hope she's having fun and I smell a future fashion designer in the making. Maddie is very intuitive for her age, takes after her mother and father," Grace murmured. Joss nodded in agreement. "So speaking of John, how are things going?" Grace asked, unable to hide her curiosity.

"They're going," she admitted with a sigh. "Can you please tell me what Harold was thinking with doing this?" she blurted out.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong is the fact that I have this sexy man that I want more than anything and I can't have him! He knows about Maddie but can't claim her; we can't even tell her the truth!" Joss poured out in frustration and proceeded to tell Grace everything, not taking a single breath, and not letting her friend get a word in edgewise until she was utterly spent.

Joss swallowed hard as she drew in a big breath before apologizing, "I'm sorry Grace. Here I am complaining and you guys got me this wonderful cruise."

"You're not complaining honey, you're frustrated. They are a world of difference." Grace argued.

"Doesn't feel like it," Joss admitted, feeling about two feet tall. "Really, forget I just said all that. I'm ashamed of myself."

"Joss, I'm not mad. I'm not sure what my husband was thinking and to be honest: I'm not even sure he was!"

Joss blinked, realizing Grace was angry, not with her, but with Harold. "I didn't mean to make you upset with Harold. I just needed someone to vent too and you were it. As you said, I'm frustrated." Sexually and emotionally and it wasn't going to get any better soon.

"Oh don't apologize Joss, you have every right to be upset. Can you give me a moment?" Grace asked sweetly, nearly too sweet.

Joss made a sound of agreement and then she heard Grace put the phone down. Crap, she just got Harold in trouble. Joss sat on the couch tensely as she waited and Grace was gone for a good few minutes before she picked the phone back up.

Joss spoke before Grace could, "Grace, please don't be mad at Harold! I shouldn't have said anything it's just John's partner is obnoxious to say the least, the Wixoms are nice but they are next door to me and that means John can't even come by here to see me and Maddie. And John is looking so damn fine and all he has to do is exist and I'm getting turned on; I'm about ready to attack him like some sex starved soccer mom!" she said quickly before adding, "It's just tough and I should have kept my big mouth shut," Joss finished sincerely.

"No, it's alright."

Joss nearly dropped the phone when it was Harold's voice and not Grace's. "Harold?" she squeaked feeling her face heat. Oh good lord, she just told Harold that she was turned on by John's presence. Would it be impolite to hang up on him?

"Yes, my lovely wife came and wanted to finish Leila's book with her, so I could come and explain myself," he murmured softly, sounding embarrassed; whether it was because of what she said or what Grace said, Joss wasn't fully sure and didn't want to. "I truly apologize, Jocelyn."

"No, it's me that should apologize to you, Harold. You and Grace didn't even need to get me this cruise or get John on this cruise and you did. I should be thanking you, not complaining about the circumstances," Joss spoke quickly trying to fix her blunder.

"But you have a right to be unhappy about the circumstances, Jocelyn," Harold said with a smile sounding in his voice. "And to explain my thinking: I set it up so you were next to Nigel and Selma's room on purpose."

"Why?"

He sighed. "Because I'm truly worried about Selma's well-being and while I know John and his partner are very capable agents; the bureau would place them in a cabin that wasn't as nearly expensive as the Royal Suites were. You are a well-trained and intelligent detective and I felt better knowing that Selma had someone like you next door to her and not some stranger."

Joss smiled, feeling a little better knowing why he placed her where he had. "Thank you for clearing up the reason for why you placed me next to the Wixoms in the first place," she said.

"I do sincerely apologize. I didn't realize what a conundrum you and Mr. Reese would be in, due to my desire to have Selma safe, until my lovely wife explained the situation you were having with me," he said gently with a low sigh. "I didn't intend to make everything so difficult for you because I want you and John to work things out. Madeline's happiness, yours and Mr. Reese's are all important to me."

"It is okay," she tried to reassure him quickly.

But Harold didn't bite. "No it is not. I put you and John on the cruise for relaxation and to find each other, to become a family. I made something simple…complex, now you and John are dealing with the ramifications of the problem I created," Harold said heavy with guilt.

"You didn't create death threats on Selma. Those are very real," Joss pointed out.

"I appreciate your attempt at displacing some of my guilt, Jocelyn, but it does not change the fact that if I had not placed you in the Royal Suite right beside the Wixoms than Mr. Reese would have been able to come and go as he pleased."

Joss frowned feeling like a grade A jackass for upsetting her friend without wanting too. She should have kept her big fat mouth shut. "There's nothing we can do now, Harold; so please stop feeling guilty because you're making me feel guilty."

"Why should you feel such a way?"

"Because I brought it up and I should have kept my big fat trap shut."

"Please do not ever do that Jocelyn. You're a very dear friend and I like to think that you feel comfortable enough around us to let us know when something is upsetting you."

Joss felt a teensy bit better at that. "Thanks Harold; I feel better knowing that. But what would make me feel even better is that you don't feel too bad about this too. You were doing what you thought best at the time; every decision could be made easier if we know what could happen. Hindsight is always 20/20," she murmured.

Harold sighed. "I'm not sure what I can do to rectify this. Perhaps I could call and see—"

Joss hurried to stop him, "There is nothing you can do Harold. John and I will just have to keep on as we are while he and Maddie get to know each other as John and Maddie rather than daddy/daughter. Once the cruise is over, then we will tell Maddie the truth. She's too young to understand that she needs to keep a secret," she said and looked at the clock. "I have to go pick up Maddie. But please don't feel so guilty Harold, I do appreciate this cruise. I'll talk to you later."

"Alright, give Madeline an extra kiss from me, Grace, and Leila."

"Will do," she assured him before wishing him a nice evening and hung up. They would just have to deal with it until the cruise was over and then Maddie could finally have the daddy she always wanted.

* * *

Joss swung Maddie's hand up and down as they walked hand in hand towards John and Shaw's cabin number bright and early the next morning. Joss had some trouble sleeping due to the fact that Maddie had a tough time relaxing for bed. She was acting like Santa was visiting; she tried to explain to her daughter that if she slept then the morning would be there that much quicker but it didn't really work the way she wished. Maddie was up until well past one in the morning and Joss was up later than that as she thought about the impending day to come.

John had asked her to come by at eight and she agreed, getting Maddie up at seven and the little ball of energy was like a child on Christmas morning with the fact that she was going to get to see John. Maddie was hungry and so was she, so she couldn't wait for breakfast with John herself. Joss had chosen just a simple hot pink romper while Maddie wore her swimsuit under a pink terry cover up and her new pink sandals she nearly slept in last night.

"Where is John, mommy?"

"We're nearly there," she reassured her, for nearly the millionth time, as they came up short in front of his door.

Joss lifted her hand and knocked gently. Maddie bounced beside her, waiting for the door to open with bated breath. She couldn't believe she was going to get to spend some time alone with John with their daughter and then in the evening they were going to get to have that long overdue conversation. They waited at the door for only a few moments before it opened and she thought her tongue was going to fall out of her mouth. John stood there in nothing but fitted boxer-briefs. They were a charcoal gray color and didn't leave anything to the imagination. The Jockey black elastic called attention to his naval with the lovely treasure trail disappearing tantalizing beneath the underwear directing her adoring gaze to the bulge in his underwear knowing just what lied beneath. Her hands suddenly itched and it felt like extra saliva was filling in her mouth.

 _Look up Jocelyn Carter_ , her mind screamed but her eyes weren't cooperating as they were lodged firmly between his legs.

"Joss," he greeted.

Joss jumped as she looked up, feeling her cheeks heat. "…uh…yea, I…y-you said…uh I thought you said to come by at eight in the morning." Joss managed to untangle her tongue as her eyes raked over his body, noting he still had muscles galore as well as scars. She saw his new tan lines and her eyes took in their fill of his sexy body.

"JOHN!" Maddie cried, uncaring about the state of undress her daddy was in. Joss very much cared as she curled her hands into fists at the thought that his itty bitty partner got to see him like this every morning. She tried to tell herself that Shaw viewed him like a brother and there was nothing but platonic feelings between them, but it didn't matter. She wanted to rip Shaw's eyes out.

John bent down to scoop up Maddie. "Hey there, Maddie," he said with a smile that had Joss fanning herself as he stepped back to let her follow him in. She closed the door behind them and did not lift her gaze off his butt. It looked good in the underwear but his ass looked even better bare.

"So where's your friend?" Joss wondered, hoping she didn't sound as winded as she thought she did.

"In the bathroom; she just got out of the shower," he admitted.

Joss sighed in heaven as John carried Maddie to the neatly made up bed bending to set her on her feet on it. "Oh momma," Joss whispered to herself as he bent before tugging her gaze off his butt the moment a rattle of the doorknob of the bathroom sounded.

The bathroom door opened and his partner exited. Shaw's look didn't change as she padded out of the bathroom where steam was ebbing out, running a towel through her long brown hair and stood in black cotton underwear and a tank. Joss felt a renewed sense of jealousy but it quickly died out when she realized John didn't even look Shaw's way; he was busy with Maddie.

She felt a smack on her arm and she looked beside her to see Shaw had at some point moved over to stand next to her, still rubbing at her long hair with the towel. "You got something right here," Shaw murmured pointing her finger at the corner of Joss's mouth.

Joss widened. "What?" she demanded reaching up to touch her face. Oh god, she walked into their cabin with something on her face while John was looking like a half-naked sex god.

Shaw grinned evilly. "Drool," Shaw said. Joss smacked her hand and then shoved her. Shaw had the audacity to laugh, and loudly, which drew John's gaze. He narrowed his eyes on them but didn't say a word. "Hey pipsqueak," Shaw muttered, moving towards Maddie before resting a light hand in her braids before walking unhurriedly over to the dresser.

Maddie giggled. "Hi Sam," she said shyly.

John turned to look at her and Joss hoped she didn't prove Shaw right and begin drooling at any moment with John looking at her and looking like he did at the moment. "Uh, maybe you should go get dressed or something," Joss suggested because she really needed him to put pants on or something. She was only human.

"Do you mind waiting for a couple minutes? I'd like to take a shower and someone took forever," John requested and Joss groaned inwardly. Just great, now she was going to have the mental image of John in a shower all morning long while trying to sit and have a nice breakfast.

Shaw turned after she changed in front of everyone and no one paid her any attention. "Not my fault you were still groggy this morning from your dream," Shaw said innocently.

John glared at her and Joss looked between Shaw and him, realizing she was missing something here. John murmured he'd be back and she watched as he turned and walked into the bathroom. What she wouldn't give to be a drop of water that ran across his entire body?!

Joss just hoped she could keep her hands to herself, at what was to be a nice breakfast outing with Maddie and John, because Maddie's daddy had her nerve-endings short circuiting and he didn't even touch her.

* * *

AN: Perhaps I shouldn't have posted this today since there is a minor cliffie as the Carter ladies and John are all set for a breakfast 'date'. But the next couple chapters are chock full of goodies so I think you guys would want them posted in the same week. Next chapter:

 **Ch 12: The Art of Wooing**

Thanks for reading!


	13. Ch 12: The Art of Wooing

_**AN: Couple things before you guys continue this long chapter: first, italics is a flashback to their night which is slightly on the sexy side.**_

 _ **And there isn't any Root in this just a few mentions of her. The only reason I chose Root to be Donnelly's partner was to mess with Shaw (because making that tiny volcano erupt is fun) and have a recognizable face as his partner.  
**_

 _ **Okay, I think that's everything so I'll shut up now!**_

* * *

 _John and Joss laid on their sides, fingers linked and just gently staring at each other sharing her pillow. He broke the silence, "I didn't expect this. You weren't a part of the plan, Joss."_

 _That intrigued her. "What was your plan John?" she wondered softly, gently squeezing his fingers with hers. His eyes searched hers but he didn't readily respond._

 _She nodded before changing the subject, "Play a little game with me," she suggested as she sat up, greedy to learn more about him._

 _He looked intrigued as he sat up, stroking fingers across her bare knee. "Alright. What kind of game do you have in mind, Joss?" he asked and she shivered slightly from the soft caress to her knee. Any little touch he made on her skin left its mark. "Can't play strip poker: there's no point, we're both naked already," he teased._

 _Joss snickered. "If we did play strip poker, you would be naked quickly!"_

" _I don't know about that, Joss. I'd be motivated to get a very sexy woman naked," he murmured in that incredible soft voice._

" _Like I wouldn't be: you're no slouch in the looks area yourself, John," she teased. "But it's more of a Q &A game, also it's a drinking game that me and my girlfriends played several months ago," she admitted. "The game is simple, it's called: Never Have I Ever."_

 _John waited for her to explain, so she continued, "I'll say something that I've never done and if you did that at any point during your life, you have to drink. And to make it even more interesting…." she paused grabbing her wineglass and dipped her index finger into it before looking back at him with smoky dark eyes and drew a line down his chest with the same finger. "…we'll take the drink off each other's body. Sort of like this John." she purred huskily deciding he needed a demonstration as she leaned forward, eyes locked on his as she licked her tongue across his chest catching the small amount of wine there._

 _She sat back and smiled as his blue eyes darkened immediately. "I'm game. But one question: do we get to choose where on the body we want to take the drink from?" he questioned as he took a slow perusal of her naked form, feeling his groin tighten in response. Learning more about this woman was definitely something he wanted; maybe if he learned more about her he could understand why she enraptured him so wholly in such a short time._

 _Joss felt heavy between her legs at the mere thought of the places he would take his sips from her. "Yes," she said breathlessly. Her eyes caught sight of the alarm clock and she prayed the time would go slower. She cleared her throat as she focused on him._

" _Ladies first…."_

 _She grinned as she rubbed her hands together; she was going to start him off on an easy one. "Okay, never have I ever: watched a porno," she said with a lopsided grin, appealing to her male audience. "Now John, you remember the rules: if you never watched a porno you're safe, but if you have…drink up."_

 _John shook his head as he dunked three fingers into her wine glass. "You did that on purpose," he accused, though not angry with the circumstances. He got to lick wine off Joss's beautiful body._

" _Damn straight I did: not my problem, you're a typical man," she said with a laugh, then moaned as he drew three lines with his index, middle, and ring fingers down her right breast right over her exceedingly sensitive nipple from all their activities tonight. John leaned down and licked down her breast drawing his tongue right over her nipple, ripping a moan from her throat, but not stopping as she hoped._

" _Mmm, wine covered Joss: my favorite," he whispered as he pressed a kiss to her nipple, barely resisting taking it into his mouth and sucking on the tender peak, and leaned back up._

 _Joss wanted to grab the back of his neck and push him back to her breast but resisted. "Your turn John," she reminded sullenly._

" _Alright, fine," he said; two could play that game. "Never have I ever: went to law school." he said with a firm smirk lodged on his handsome face._

 _Joss scowled as he turned her little game around on her. "Point taken," she muttered as she dunked nearly her entire hand into the wine glass and splattered his chest with wine with a flick of her wrist. Joss sat on her knees as she leaned over him and licked his chest, her tongue following the little droplets of wine as they rolled down thanks to gravity. He moaned as she lapped up every single drop. She leaned back and licked her lips. "Okay real ones: never have I ever been stung by a bee," she said._

 _John eyed her in surprise. "Really, never?" he wondered._

" _Really," she agreed._

 _He shook his head as he reached for the wine glass, dipping a few fingers into it. "Don't be: it hurts like a bitch. Been stung six times," he admitted, this time choosing a less obvious choice to draw the line of wine on: he chose her elbow. Joss watched as his tongue licked every bit of wine up and he added a little love bite to the joint which he soothed with his tongue._

 _Joss never really believed the elbow was a sexy place to be kissed but it was or John made it because she grew wetter with each sweep of his tongue._

 _He pulled back as he thought long and hard. "Never have I ever…" he paused trying to think one up, then shrugged, "…owned a cat."_

 _She snorted at that one. "Neither have I! Sadly I don't get to take a drink; which means it's my turn again. Never have I ever: gotten a speeding ticket." she said positively smug, surely he had to have gotten one. She wanted that damn tongue on her again. But instead of reaching for the wineglass John merely smirked and she eyed him incredulous. "No way, you never got one either!"_

" _I'll have you know, Joss, I have a perfect driving record," he teased._

 _Joss laughed. "I should have guessed though: you certainly like being in the driver seat and you take your good ole' sweet time…driving forward," she said as she squirmed a little, as her double entendre got to her more than him._

 _His eyes darkened further if possible. "Are we talking about driving a car or something else?"_

" _You know what I'm talking about," she whispered._

 _John sat up on his haunches. His cock hard and she was wet, which was the perfect combination if you asked her. "I guess you're right: I take my sweet time to enjoy the ride, feel the hum and listen to the purr," his voice dropped an octave. Joss felt ready to fling him down to the bed and fuck him senseless. "Back to the game, Joss; it's my turn," he said as if he could sense the throbbing tension in her and just how close she was at attacking him._

 _She groaned but motioned at him and he spoke, "Never have I ever: got an A in school," John said and she stared at him._

" _Never?" she breathed, feeling her libido cool a little but not much._

 _He shook his head. "I wasn't really good in school. Had trouble sitting still, didn't like it."_

 _Joss reached for the wineglass dipping her fingers in and traced a line from his Adams Apple up to his chin. "So what grades did you pull?" she wondered as she leaned in, nuzzling her nose close to his neck._

 _Joss was making thinking difficult. "Bs and Cs mostly," he managed before her tongue licked from his Adams Apple up and over his chin and her tongue swiped sexily across his bottom lip, producing a gasp as his lips parted and she caught his lower lip between hers and sucked. His hands reached up and rubbed her breasts and she moaned, finally releasing his bottom lip._

 _Joss was so happy she decided to get John to play this Q &A game with a twist because she was getting to learn little things about him and it was so damn sexy. "Okay, never have I ever broken my arm." she said. She watched as John instantly turned for the wineglass. "What happened?"_

" _I climbed a tree really high and when I was coming down at my mother's insistence I fell and broke my arm in two spots."_

" _Ouch, how old were you?"_

" _Nine," he answered with a rueful smile as he dipped four fingers into the glass. "Joss, turn over and lie on your stomach," he instructed._

 _Joss felt the desire knotting in her, twisting further as she did as he requested and she groaned as her nipples were hard and puckered so the soft bedsheet was nearly too much. Her breath hitched as he splattered wine on her ass and then his tongue was following the wine path. He nibbled her buttocks and licked nearly every inch, she gasped as his fingers delved between her legs and found her swollen nub of desire. He rubbed her sensually, drawing a moan of his name as her hips jerked up but he removed his hand and she groaned in aggravation._

 _Joss rolled over and glared at him, needing his touch. He lifted his fingers that touched her up to his mouth and licked them clean. "Mmm…," he moaned before removing his fingers from his mouth and licked his lips. "Never have I ever been to Walt Disney World."_

 _Joss stopped from attacking him as her mouth dropped open. "NEVER?!" she asked._

 _He smiled at her utter astonishment at the revelation. "Never, for much of my childhood I moved around a lot with my dad in the Army. We weren't rolling in dough and then when my dad died the necessities became more important than vacationing," he said with a small shrug._

 _Joss immediately reached for the wineglass as he watched. "So I assume you took your son?" he wondered._

 _She nodded. "Yea when he was three, Paul and I went there while dating, and I went with my friends and parents when I was a teenager too," she said, feeling sad that John never got to go. "You never got to see Mickey, but I'll show you the Magic Kingdom." she promised throatily._

 _She pushed him onto his back and he watched her as she tipped the wineglass over and poured the last remnants on his cock that splashed everywhere earning a jump of his hips. She leaned over him and wrapped a firm hand around him and licked his length playfully. She lapped up at the wine as he groaned._

 _Joss leaned back a little to peer up at him innocently. "Mmm, my favorite: wine covered John," she purred before she took his entire length into her mouth and what she couldn't, she stroked with her hand._

 _John moaned as he grabbed fistfuls of the bed sheet beneath him as Joss sucked his cock. His genitals felt on fire as a tension tightened low in his belly as she set a fast pace. He reached a hand into her hair to stop her but instead his fingers gently curled. Her lips were fitted against his dick tight, her left hand following the up and down motion of her mouth, her tongue washing across the underside of the ridge making him tremble in need._

 _Her other hand cupped and teased his balls making it nearly impossible to think. He flung his head back at the intense wave of pleasure of being in her warm mouth. "Joss," he groaned to either stop her or beg her to go on, he wasn't quite sure._

 _She sucked the tip, flicking her tongue across the slit in response; he tightened his hold on her hair forcing her to stop. "Enough," he commanded gruffly as he sat up and kiss her, grabbing her hips and pulling her on top of him. "I need to be inside you." He leaned back on his elbows and she straddled him as she took him inside her and they both hissed in pleasure as she sheathed him fully inside her._

 _Joss rested her hands on his shoulders as he was buried deep in her and they stared at each other before she finally started moving and they never broke eye contact the entire time as they moved in perfect rhythm._

* * *

Joss, Maddie, and John all sat together eating breakfast in the Luminae. Maddie was ecstatic by the fact that they were sharing breakfast together while Joss was still trying to work the image of John in nothing but tight fitting underwear from her brain. It wasn't working out all that great because every time she closed her eyes his sexy image was imprinted there. And what was worse is the idiot man had the audacity to exit the bathroom after his shower with wet hair rumpled from running a towel through it, damp skin, and wearing nothing but a damn towel slung low on his hips. It had on two occasions become dangerously close to unknotting; which she hoped for but prayed against. Joss wasn't in the mood at explaining the difference between boys and girls to Maddie or why mommy was staring unblinkingly at John; not to mention than that insufferable partner of his, that reminded her of Squidward from _Spongebob Squarepants_ , would have gotten a look-see too!

While Maddie and John talked, Joss had let her fantasies take over as she pretended that they had been alone in the cabin and she unknotted the towel and took his long and erect cock into her mouth. She could imagine his groan which had a powerful effect on her because it was such a sexy sound. It was low and gruff that she felt all the way down to her toes. Joss shelved the erotic fantasy when she realized she was growing too aroused by the sexy thoughts running through her mind. Joss squeezed her thighs together trying to alleviate the building pressure in her sex that needed John's electric touch. Hers wouldn't suffice this time.

"Mommy's not listening to us, Maddie," John whispered loudly, earning giggles from their daughter and Joss's attention simultaneously.

They had been talking to her?—couldn't he realize that he had been a wet half-naked Adonis earlier and sent her hormones into a tizzy and she was still recovering! "Um…." she mumbled.

John took pity on her. "I suggested that we go up to Deck 15 and hit the basketball court. Maddie wants to play," he reiterated for her.

"Maddie wants to play basketball?" Joss asked in surprise. Many things could describe their daughter: the next Martha Stewart, a little genius, a girly-girl. But athletic was not one of them, unfortunately their daughter wasn't bitten by the sports bug. Their baby was a little uncoordinated and didn't run very fast but the thing their little girl did best was that she tried, it wasn't her fault she was terrible at sports but at least she had fun being terrible. But then maybe what Maddie needed was a daddy's touch. Joss side-eyed John; he was most assuredly athletic.

Maddie nodded her head emphatically. "John says there is a pig." she announced with sparkling eyes and a wide toothy grin on her face as she swung her legs happily before she sipped her orange juice.

Joss furrowed her brows, as John chuckled. "The game is called: PIG, Maddie, sorry sweetheart there isn't any actual animal involved," he explained. "But do you still want to play?" he asked.

"Yea!" Maddie exclaimed.

Joss snorted. Maddie would do anything to spend more time with John but she didn't say a word since she actually enjoyed basketball. She used to take Taylor to the playground when he was just a little boy and they'd shoot some hoops at the small basketball court, playing PIG or the variant HORSE, and Around the World.

Joss's keen observation skills tracked John as he spread a liberal amount of syrup and butter on his pancakes, reminding her of the sexy game they had played when they drizzled wine on each other's bodies and licked it up while learning small tidbits about each other before they engaged in highly orgasmic sex for what had to have been their fourth or fifth time making love. She truly lost count the number times they had sex that night before he scrambled up, hurriedly dressed and left. Joss watched with interest as he cut the pancake and lifted it to his mouth, plopping it into his mouth. His tongue licked out to catch some syrup on his lip. Lucky maple syrup! She groaned internally as she was jealous of syrup, did he have to make eating so damn sensual?

John swallowed hard, feeling the bit of pancake go down his throat tough as he avoided Joss's gaze, seeing the way her dark doe eyes had grown smoky with desire. It reminded him of their night together as he knew every time when she was ready for another round of lovemaking. Her eyes gave her away and he shifted to ease the tightening in his cock, willing his body to behave for once.

This time he kept his gaze off watching her eat which he hadn't done last night at their dinner party. John had watched with unabated interest as she ate and drank last night which was a new form of torture he decided. He didn't know if she knew he had been watching her because she stroked her fingers up and down the champagne glass, dredging up memories of when that hand had been wrapped around him….

John shook himself firmly, forcing such thoughts away. He was with his daughter. Just because her mother was so damn sexy and hard to resist didn't mean he should be having such lusty thoughts in the presence of Maddie.

After the smoldering breakfast that Maddie had no clue that mommy and 'daddy' were lost in lusty thoughts of the other, they escorted her up to the deck with the basketball courts. Thankfully no one else was using them yet. Today was a full day at sea and tomorrow they would port at Cozumel Mexico, starting at seven in the morning. Maybe she could convince John, even if he had to bring along his partner, to spend the day with her and Maddie on the beach. She was sure Maddie would love that, even if they had to share him with Shaw for the sake of his cover. She'd bring it up to him tonight at drinks after they had their talk so if he couldn't, Maddie wouldn't be upset.

Joss eyed the khaki shorts John was wearing and the white polo short-sleeve shirt he had on that had to stretch tight across his firm torso. He looked so damn good in anything, even flip flops. He dribbled the basketball, smiling as he approached Maddie who suddenly looked unsure.

John crouched down to her level and showed her how to dribble. Their daughter took three tries before she managed to get the hang of it. She smiled triumphantly because she managed to string along six dribbles before the ball stopped bouncing.

"NBA better watch out because they have the next Michael Jordon on their hands but in this case: a little lady," John praised and Maddie soaked it up. He proceeded to explain the game to Maddie and Joss smiled as she felt fuzzy inside at how easy he was with her, he explained the game simply so their sports-challenged daughter could understand. "We'll all take turns shooting at the basket. If any of us misses, that person gets a 'P' and if they miss again they get an 'I' and then a 'G'. The player who spells PIG loses. How about we let mommy go first; since you are the next Air Jordan and I like to think I rival Lebron James?" he stated with a wink to the little girl who giggled and looked expectantly to mommy.

Joss smirked. "Watch and learn sweet-pea, I'll show you that da-John is full of it," Joss said nearly calling John 'daddy' to their daughter before catching herself. John's eyes widened, but thankfully Maddie didn't catch her near slip up. She whirled around as she tugged the ball out of John's hands and cursed herself because it was so natural, so right.

John observed Joss, with her stiff shoulders, rapidly blinking her eyes, and could see how upset she was because she missed an easy shot. She turned to look at him and he smiled trying to soothe her. "Okay, it's Air Jordan's turn," he murmured, reaching for the ball, but patted her elbow in comfort as he turned to Maddie, who was giggling at her nickname. He bounced the ball while walking to the little girl as she leaned her head back to eye the hoop.

John changed his mind as he handed Joss the ball, before walking behind their daughter and plucked her up under the arms and lifted her easily up and set her on his shoulders holding her legs on either side of his head firmly.

"Now she can do any shot she wants," he muttered.

Joss smiled, desperately trying to not cry at them. But seeing Maddie and John together like this was like stabbing a knife in her heart because all she wanted was to tell the truth, and make them a real family. She told herself it was just five more days and she could make it. But with the absolute delight on her daughter's face and the love that shined in John's eyes whenever he looked at Maddie it was becoming increasingly difficult.

But she vehemently pushed all her longing back and masked her expression as she waltzed up to the pair to hand their daughter the basketball. "Sweetie now all you have to do is throw the ball and aim for the net," Joss instructed.

Maddie nodded and her little tongue stuck out in extreme concentration. John had moved exceedingly close so their daughter could make the shot. John looked up and watched as she threw it and missed by a country mile.

"Oh, nearly there baby!" Joss exclaimed happily.

"Don't worry, Air Jordan, even the best can miss." he murmured as he rubbed her shin before hefting her up and over his head and plopped her onto her feet.

Joss snickered at Maddie's look of irritation at being put down on the ground. Their daughter had enjoyed sitting on John's shoulders and being taller than everyone for once. John sunk his shot easily but he chose something simple. Joss dribbled the ball a couple times and missed the shot, which she blamed solely on John. Maddie sunk his shot with ease by being on his shoulders and John cheating as he stood so close to the net that he was practically kissing it.

They laughed and talked, Joss learned that John played basketball for high school which was obvious. John didn't even have a letter while Joss was at P-I, and Maddie had just a P after missing mommy's shot.

John's turn was up again as he eyed Maddie and Joss. "Alright Carter ladies, I got you a toughie," he assured them, before he began dribbling the ball and only sprinted a little before he jumped into the air and dunked the ball.

Maddie clapped for him which John grinned lazily at them which made Joss squirm from the potent effect it had on her.

Joss sighed as she took the ball. "Well here's where I'm out. I can't even reach the rim!" she said as she bounced the ball a little.

John grinned as he stood right in front of her, eyes on hers, glittering with mischief. "Oh I don't know about that Joss," he teased as he grabbed her hips and she squealed as he lifted her up. But while it brought giggles and smiles to Maddie's face; all this did was make her hot and bothered as he held her up easily, like she weighed less than a feather and his mouth was even with her breasts: her breasts that suddenly felt heavy and her nipples hardened as he breathed on her chest.

Joss dunked the ball and Maddie clapped for mommy as she was laughing at mommy and John's antics before running to go catch the ball. John slowly lowered her back to her feet as their bodies rubbed as she went down and her eyes were on his, seeing his light blue eyes darken. She clung to his body before they both separated when Maddie came running for her turn. Joss cleared her throat as she stepped back and John didn't say a word as he turned and lifted Maddie onto her knees on his shoulders, keeping a firm grip on their daughter's hip so she could dunk the ball like them.

After that John threw the game to lose to Maddie and Joss which they promptly called a tie and let mommy and daughter celebrate their victory.

While Joss and Maddie celebrated John was a little lost in thought. He hadn't thought it all the way through with lifting Joss up so she could dunk because what was supposed to be something innocent became sexual and he had wanted to be alone with Joss so damn much.

Joss sighed as she glanced at her watch and sighed regretfully. "Hey baby we better hurry to the pool because you want to make that Macaroni Necklace in the Fun Factory." she said softly. Time flew by when you were having fun.

Maddie leaned her head back and looked up at John. "Swim with me and mommy," she pled.

John crouched down at her level, chucking her under the chin, earning giggles before he smiled wistfully. "I wish I could, but I can't sweetheart," he said honestly.

"PLEASSSSSE!" she begged as she grabbed his hand.

Joss took pity on John because he looked one step from caving already. "Honey, we can't steal John all the time. Mommy will swim with you and you'll have fun making your necklace."

Maddie pouted before it cleared up as her little baby must have come up with something else. "John will you come and make a necklace with me?"

"Sweetheart, grown-ups aren't allowed," Joss answered for him. "But maybe tomorrow we can convince John and Sam to come with us to the beach," she offered and Maddie immediately latched onto that idea as she began bouncing and begging for him to agree. Joss looked at John apologetically; feeling bad because she wasn't going to spring this on him until they were alone but Maddie looked so sad. "We port tomorrow at Cozumel and we'd love to share a day at the beach with you…and Sam. We can have a picnic and go swimming and snorkeling," she said, barely remember to tack on his partner for their little day of fun.

John smiled; he couldn't say no even if he tried. "Yea, we'd like that," he agreed.

"YAAAAAAY!" Maddie cried in jubilation as she flung her arms around his neck.

John rubbed her back before kissing her cheek and reluctantly got to his feet. He didn't want to leave them. He didn't want to go back to his cabin with Shaw and work on a case, not when Joss and Maddie were here; when he could spend more time with them, be with them. But duty called.

He pasted on a smile for Maddie before looking at Joss. "I guess I'll see you then," he murmured.

Joss was grateful John wasn't letting Maddie in on the fact that they were meeting for drinks because Maddie would throw a tantrum about being shafted with a babysitter while mommy went out with John. And as much as she wanted her little munchkin to spend time with her daddy, Joss needed this alone time with him.

Joss nodded. "Eight, sharp," she said pointedly.

He smirked. "Sounds perfect," he agreed, before unenthusiastically turning and heading for the elevators and not seeing Maddie watching him go woefully.

* * *

Shaw made a face as she hid from the Wixoms view. She wasn't in the mood to play pretend right now, preferring to watch from the shadows. Reese was out with his kid and that woman, leaving her to go it alone for a couple hours which were alright with her. They didn't need to be attached at the hip and she could easily lie for him and claim he was sleeping in this morning from late night activities if the Wixoms managed to spot her. But she was good at blending in and not being seen unless she wanted to be.

Donnelly however ruined everything, when he beeped in on her solitude. "What do you want?" she snapped in aggravation as she clicked the button in her earwig.

" _I have an update. Flo was drugged_ ," Donnelly informed her.

"Who the hell is Flo?" Shaw demanded.

" _The other butler on my floor that I told you about, after I contacted Root to get in touch with Celebrity to find out how many butlers they employed this morning; I chatted up with Demetrius and Flo independently_ ," he explained. " _Flo admits that she was missing three hours and she doesn't know what happened. She was a little freaked out because when she came to, her clothes were dumped on her body and she felt like her head was stuffed with cotton_."

Shaw nodded, yup, definitely drugged. "Did she remember anything?" she inquired.

" _At her fifteen minute break she chugged a bottle of water because she was thirsty and about an hour or so later she felt woozy and then everything after that is a complete blank. I tried to comfort her without her realizing I wish fishing for information. She's really rattled by it but is scared to report it since she doesn't want to lose her job because she doesn't fully understand what happened to her_."

"So what did your lame partner find out for us?" Shaw asked, speaking about Root.

" _She texted me about ten minutes ago that there are more butlers employed on the ship but the theory that she is from a different deck goes out the window with the fact that someone drugged Flo to get her clothes_ ," he murmured.

"True," Shaw had to agree with Donnelly's assessment. The butler was stripped down and her clothes dumped on her and she woke up with missing three hours.

" _Wait! Did you just agree with me_?" he wondered, incredulous.

Shaw shrugged. "Yea, what's the big deal?"

" _You have never ever agreed with anything I ever said; I mean Reese and I could say the same thing and you'd agree with Reese first._ "

"That's because usually you say stupid shit. This once you didn't," Shaw said with a shrug before chugging her Spritz. Was it early to drink: yes, did she care: no. She was on a vacation of sorts and this case wasn't all that physically demanding so far; besides having to resist the urge from killing Donnelly or any vacationer. "Good job, Donnelly for actually saying something of use," she sneered.

Donnelly did not respond for a moment. " _So Shaw_ …" he hedged.

Shaw narrowed her eyes at Donnelly's tone. "You're not asking me out are you?—because if you are, please do it quickly so I can laugh my ass off as I tell you in many ways of HELL NO."

He made a disgusted sound. " _God no, I'm married, Shaw_!"

"To a woman?" Shaw murmured in surprise. She did vaguely recall him saying something about having a daughter or something? But she didn't really listen to him since he sounded like the teacher from Charlie Brown because all she ever heard when he talked was: Wah, Wah. "A living one right?" she commented.

Donnelly made an agitated sound. " _Yes, Delilah is alive. What do you think I am: a necrophiliac?_!" he nearly shouted.

"Delilah, she's a hooker then," Shaw stated.

" _My wife is not a hooker! She's an accountant!_ " he growled. " _But I was going to ask you, Shaw: does Reese really like Ms. Joss?_ "

"I don't know! I'm not his penis now am I?" Shaw demanded. "But if I could control men's dicks that would be the shit because then I'd be in control of their brains!" Shaw stated with a snicker.

" _HA-HA funny Shaw, you know what I'm asking_."

She exhaled. "Don't know and don't care, Donnelly. As long as that woman doesn't hurt Reese I won't have to dismember her and if I even get an inkling that she mowed over his heart, I'll rearrange her face." Shaw vowed.

Donnelly was quiet for a moment. " _Okay, as always, talking to you is an experience, Shaw. I'll keep you updated if I learn anything else_ ," he muttered.

"Whatever…"

" _Oh and one other thing, Shaw…_ "

"Jesus! Spit it out, Donnelly," Shaw barked, wanting blissful silence.

" _Root says hi_ ," Donnelly said with a laugh before disconnecting and Shaw let out string of expletives.

* * *

John was nearly as nervous as he had been on their coffee-date when he showed up nearly an hour early and then Joss entered forty-five minutes early. Shaw had made fun of him for taking another shower and putting on dressier clothes. He didn't know where Joss wanted to stop at but he was sure they could find a suitable bar.

John exited the bathroom after combing his hair and splashing cologne on his neck after changing into a blue dress shirt and expensive black dress pants. He had tried, though unsuccessfully, to tame his stubborn cowlick; nearly resorting to using Shaw's hairspray but changed his mind. He had learned long ago that his cowlick was nearly untamable and no amount of hairspray or gel would ever help, so he gave up trying.

John rolled his eyes as he saw Shaw, with her back turned to him, setting out their guns on the bed. "Why are you choosing right now to 'clean' the guns?" he questioned, knowing full well why.

Shaw eyed him before saying, "You told me to not threaten her; you didn't say anything about a subliminal death threat."

"Shaw." he said with a sigh as he half-chuckled at her. Shaw was something else and he couldn't change her if he tried; though he wouldn't even if he could.

She shrugged. "It's not my fault you left a loophole." she stated as she eyed the arrangement of guns on the bed.

"You do realize I'm a man in my mid-forties and I've been taking care of myself for a very long time, right?" he asked, just making sure she remembered he was a grown man.

Shaw glanced at him distractedly. "Yea," she agreed before looking back at the guns. "But if this Carter chick can handle a little subliminal death threat then maybe I can handle it if she dates us."

"Us?—you mean me."

"No I meant us. I was here first," Shaw said as she swapped two guns on the bed, apparently there was a method to her madness.

"Not to point out the fact, but technically I met Joss first," he commented which earned a glare. He held up his hands knowing Shaw just needed time. It has been them two for three going on four years; working a lot together and hanging out together outside of work. Now Shaw had to get used to the idea of a third person and a kid. "I think you'd like Joss if you'd give her a chance. She's the atypical woman," he said gently.

"You think of her like that because she's the mother of your ankle biter and you're blinded by her pussy. I'm not," Shaw assured him as she stepped back from the bed, appearing happy with the layout finally. Evidently she wanted the bigger guns closer to the door.

He shook his head in exasperation, changing the subject. "So Donnelly caught me up to speed about what you two talked about earlier with Flo. We made contact with the Wixoms since then and they didn't make a mention of anything missing from their suite," he muttered off-handedly.

"Nope, but that doesn't mean who entered their suite wasn't casing the suite to steal anything. Donnelly is keeping eyes on Flo just in case," Shaw murmured, still focused on their guns before her head perked up as there was a gentle knock on the door. Shaw eyed him before making a mad dash for the door as he did. Shaw grinned evilly. "Move faster old man!" she joked as she opened the door.

Joss stood there in a black dress with a plunging V-neck that had him licking his lips at her cleavage. She wore dark smoky makeup with her hair on one side pinned back but her warm smile melted away when it wasn't John that opened the door but his partner, who was glowering at her. But John was behind her, making her feel sexy.

"What are your intentions with Reese?" Shaw demanded, leaning against the doorframe with arms crossed.

"Shaw, let her in," John insisted. God, couldn't he ever befriend normal people?

Shaw smirked at Carter's look, ignoring Reese completely before asking, "When you do you plan on having him back tonight?"

"You're not my mother!" John snapped in annoyance.

Joss decided to have a little fun with his partner since it was clear she was having some of her own, treating them like adolescent kids. "Are you sure about that John?—because she looks old enough to be your momma," she asked innocently.

Shaw's eyes widened and John laughed. Well it seems Shaw has met her match in Joss. "I'm younger than him!" Shaw snapped through clenched teeth.

Joss feigned surprise as she lifted her hand to her mouth. "Oh. Oops." she said making a face. "Might I suggest starting a facial moisturizer regimen then, it might help bring a more _youthful_ look back to your skin," she said sweet as pie as she rendered Shaw speechless.

"You asked for that Shaw," he commented jokingly as he pressed her to the side to allow Joss to enter the cabin.

Shaw had to admit to herself that it was a good jab but was unwilling to cop to it as she slammed the door shut behind Carter and stormed over to the bed, picking up one of the biggest guns on the bed.

"Hope you don't mind, but guns fire better when they are cleaned regularly," Shaw stated darkly.

"Oh I don't mind at all," Joss assured her, not even realizing the subliminal message or if she did, Joss just didn't care. "Oh my god!—you have a Nano! I'm so jealous," she gasped as she hurried over to the bed and picked up the handgun. Though it didn't look anything like the Nano she saw in the Guns & Ammo magazine she perused. Joss shifted her gaze off the glorious badass Nano and onto the other guns laid out. None of them looked like normal guns; all of them had a certain sleeker look to them and the barrels were different. She had to be seeing top of the line and top secret weaponry they brought with them to bypass the security screening. The FBI got some cool gizmos and gadgets and weapons, so unlike what the NYPD had at their disposal!

John winced; that was Shaw's favorite. Shaw nearly broke a woman's wrist at the bureau for touching it on accident.

Shaw hesitantly walked over to Joss, eyeing her before the two ladies talked about the Nano and the array of weapons on the bed. Shaw was pointing out some of the guns that weren't even made aware of being in development and practically gave away a government secret to Joss as she explained just how they were able to bypass the security screening. Joss oohed and ahhed as she listened intently to Shaw, asked questions, and offered sound opinions, making John smirk as Joss found a topic that would loosen Shaw up. And it worked like a charm, because Joss had Shaw virtually eating out of the palm of her hand and he hadn't seen Shaw so animated since he took her to an expensive steakhouse for a job well done. He stayed back, letting the two women talk to find some equal footing.

Joss handed the gun to Shaw. "It's pretty." Joss murmured wistfully, as she eyed the bed full of weapons, unbelieving that she was in the same room with such top secret weapons.

Joss stepped back as Shaw eyed the weapons herself. John leaned in close. "Don't look now Joss, but I think, you just wooed Shaw." he said softly in her ear, with humor lacing his voice.

Joss snorted as she eyed him, incredulous, with a point in Shaw's general direction. "Two seconds ago, she hated my guts and looked ready to shoot me dead," Joss muttered.

He shrugged. "Shaw doesn't like anyone at first, including me. She takes a while to warm up to people, except Maddie. I think she took to Maddie so quickly because she finally found someone smaller than her." he said with a smile before he looked at Shaw. "Shaw, we're going." he murmured before escorting Joss to the door and opened it for them.

Shaw smirked. "Don't do anything I would do," she called out.

John rolled his eyes, "Don't worry we won't burn the ship down," he assured and Shaw snickered before they exited and he slid the door shut.

* * *

AN: I think I have a thing about John and Joss playing a game in bed though this one was completely different than my other one. Maybe I should have them play Twister next ;D Next Chapter:

 **Ch 13: Rendezvous  
**

Thanks for reading!


	14. Ch 13: Rendezvous

_**AN: This today and tomorrow a quick update for BMTL since I know I left that on a sad cliffie.**_

* * *

After exiting the glass elevator Joss and John walked side by side falling into easy conversation as naturally as they had at _The Bean_. She casually brushed her hand against John's, who took it a step further and let their fingers tangle in answer. She longed for the right to outright hold his hand but for now this had to be enough. They didn't have much choice in the matter with the case he was working and having to pose as a married man.

They were headed for the Rendezvous Lounge, a place that Harold and Grace had suggested when she asked while talking to them after she picked Maddie up from the Fun Factory and put her tired baby to bed last night. They had her on speakerphone so when she asked for advice and explained to them what these drinks meant, both Harold and Grace advised that lounge in unison. Grace suggested to call ahead of time and ask for one of the few private seating areas. She asked her friend what that meant and after she explained; Joss nearly hung up on her friends to call the Lounge to reserve the the spot before anyone else could. It sounded too good to be true; a private space to talk to John without needing to worry about on-lookers and no interruptions from the servers because they had a private call button that summoned a server when they wanted one. Joss had even taken the opportunity to order their drinks ahead of time before they arrived so that the glasses were waiting for them and they could be alone right when they arrived. It was a convenient and romantic amenity that Joss was grateful for. She didn't want to share John with anyone for long; not even their server.

"So where are we headed?" John finally asked as he was following her lead.

She smiled. "To the Rendezvous Lounge; my friend that got me this cruise for my birthday advised me to go there," she admitted.

John looked at her. "When was your birthday?" he asked, feeling embarrassed that he hadn't asked before right now.

"March 9th," she answered.

"That's not that long ago. Happy Birthday," he said immediately, her birthday was only four days ago. Would it look weird if he got her something for her birthday even though it had passed?—what would he get her? Going to the gift shop on a cruise ship didn't sound very original . Joss deserved a thoughtful gift….wait maybe he did have something he could give her.

"Thank you John and no you don't have to get me anything. Spending time with you is more than enough of a gift," she said and he looked at her in surprise. "Your look gave you away; you didn't know when my birthday was and we quite literally ran into each other on this cruise. Now next year is a whole different story!" she murmured gently, and mentally did a little dance when he didn't say they had no future besides being parents to Maddie.

She continued, "When's yours?"

"I don't want to say," he admitted and she blinked in confusion. He sighed. "The moment I tell you; you'll want to get me something."

Joss slid her other hand behind her back discreetly and crossed her fingers. "I promise not to get you anything," she said, feeling unapologetic since she had her fingers crossed, meaning that her promise was null in void. Plus he was Maddie's daddy so they had to throw him a party and invite Harold, Grace, and Leila. Her son wouldn't be able to make it but her momma would. And when you're at a small party you couldn't not get the birthday boy a gift, it would be rude, she reasoned with her conscience.

John nodded. "May 1st," he finally said and Joss tucked that date away in her little mental calendar and began thinking about different gift ideas from her and Maddie. Joss already had in mind a present from her and it was definitely not suitable to be given to him in front of anyone else but John. So she'd get him a gag gift at the party while she gave him his 'real' present when they were alone. Joss was going to have Maddie make him a card and then find him something dad related. John would be a mess on the first birthday and first Father's Day he got to spend with Maddie.

They approached the lounge with John unwise to her plans. Joss told the woman at the front entrance they had reserved a private section for two under the name: Carter. The woman smiled at them before being gracious and taking them towards the back of the lounge. John followed after Joss who was following the hostess and he took a not so subtle glance at Joss's fine behind and sighed before looking up and nearly stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the 'private seating' that Joss reserved for them. Ruby red curtains were pulled to the side to see inside. There was a vase with two red roses on a small cherry wooden table that could only seat two, and smack dab in the middle of the table was a candle that lit the private section up. On the table already was two glasses of wine.

Joss turned to look at John. "I hope you don't mind, but when I was calling for reservations they asked if I would like to preorder our drinks and so I did. A close friend who knows good wines recommended this Prosecco Superiore from Italy; its bubbly and sounds wonderful," she murmured.

John examined the bottle and nodded appreciatively. "Graziano Merotto from the Valdobbiandene region; excellent choice. I think we'll both enjoy this." The name rolled of his lips and Joss eyed him in surprise. He smiled shyly, "I spent some time in the service in Italy. I did some studying and enjoying their wines. This is one of my favorites. I can't believe your friend knows about it, it's not produced in large numbers." Joss just smiled, she wouldn't be surprised if Harold knew this and that's why he recommended it.

The woman smiled at them both before motioning for them to have a seat. She nodded to the red button in the back. "Please press that button on the back wall if you need anything. A server will only come if you press that button. I hope you two enjoy your drinks," she said very politely before turning and walking away.

John cleared his throat as he helped Joss onto the settee that was the seating for the small intimate area as he sat down beside her. The couch resembled a smaller version of a sofa it had a high black, very plush, and comfortable.

The curtains were soft as silk, adding to the ambiance, no one could see in and they couldn't see out. And Joss didn't resist the urge to pull the curtain closed to completely shut away the rest of the world just for these blissful two hours. John didn't say a word as she closed it, enveloping them in intimateness and shrouding them in candlelight with minimal light filtering through from under the curtain.

Joss stared at John as silence blanketed them, gentle candlelight glowed on his skin as neither reached for their wine, and she had no idea how secluded this really was with not a lot of seating around them. It was intimate and highly romantic. She was glad Grace and Harold suggested this and she scooted closer to John on the couch.

"There now, we can be two people who share a very intimate history and a daughter rather than John Jones and Joss Carter: strangers who met on this cruise," she murmured, breaking the silence before taking a sip of her wine. Mmm, this was so delicious.

She was sitting close to John, both were angled towards each other with their shins were brushing, and simply stared into his eyes until she set her wine glass down.

John cleared his throat before speaking, "I didn't realize they had such seating," he murmured nervously.

Joss smiled and nodded before changing the subject but not onto the one she truly wanted to talk to him about. "Maddie is quite taken with you. Even if you weren't her biological daddy I think she'd be hinting for you to be a substitute," she said softly, seeing how wound up he was. She knew he was preparing for the inevitable talk but she wanted to relax him.

John melted immediately as his whole body relaxed; she had found just the right subject to soothe him: their daughter. "Maddie is amazing."

"I agree. My son Taylor Skyped Maddie and she asked her big brother who Air Jordan was. So Taylor explained it to her and Maddie told Taylor all about John the 'gician,'" she murmured.

"Does Taylor know about me?" he asked.

"He does. And he wants to meet you eventually," she admitted.

John smiled. "I would like that. He sounds like a wonderful kid."

Joss smiled in return. "Oh now that I can guarantee," she said softly.

"Both Maddie and Taylor are wonderful because they have such a wonderful mother," he insisted as he reached for his wine to take a sip to calm his nerves.

Joss eyed him. "Well, Taylor I can take all the credit for but Maddie has her father now, so I can only take half the credit for her," she said gently, watching him. He set his wineglass down and looked at her. She leaned into him but got distracted as she inhaled that scent he wore that was so John. "God, you smell so damn good, John. Do you know that it haunted me since you left the morning after?—out of the blue I'd be able to inhale that sexy scent that's spicy, masculine, sexy, and all you. I thought I was losing my mind but I realized I just missed you," she whispered, her eyes boring into his.

John wasn't ready for the discussion to switch to them. But he couldn't put her off either. "I missed you too," he said quietly, honestly.

Joss searched his gaze. "Then help me understand what happened John; why didn't you ever come back?—I know we were both stupid in not telling our last names but you knew where I lived," she asked the question she dreaded, but it needed to be asked and answered before they could move forward.

There was something between them that both were helpless in the face of. It had been there since they met in _The Bean_ , it was there when they shared their coffee-date, it was there when they shared dinner together talking at her place, and grew stronger as they had sex. Each new time they made love or shared bits and pieces of themselves; it strengthened that connection between them.

Joss watched him. She knew he probably had rehearsed what he wanted to say but lost it the moment when she confronted him. "Take your time John. We have two hours together to figure this out," she said calmly. "How about we start from the beginning?" she suggested after a minute or two of him struggling to explain what happened. She could see it wasn't because he was trying to think up a lie to satisfy her; the truth resided on his face but it wasn't enough for her. She needed to hear it.

John frowned. "The beginning?" he questioned.

"Yea, explain something to me: what did you mean when you told me that I wasn't a part of your plan?" she asked. "Let's start there."

She rested her hand on his and waited patiently for him to begin. "That's easy: you weren't supposed to be someone that mattered. You were this woman that I owed a coffee, who I was attracted to and intrigued by, but still a beautiful stranger," he said quietly.

She smiled a little. "Yea, I did finagle a date from you didn't I," she said smugly. "You were this shy hot guy that smelled insanely good; I wasn't not going to buy you a coffee," she teased, lightening him up a bit, wanting him to feel more at ease talking about his feelings with her.

His lips twitched a little but didn't give her a smile. "Then I went back to your place even though I could hear the alarm bells ringing off the hook in my head telling me that if I went back with you that there was no other way the night would end but with us in your bed. And I told myself that you couldn't handle it if that happened but it was really me. You're the type of woman that a guy could fall hard for, Joss," he murmured gently.

"Did you?—fall hard for me, I mean."

Joss deserved the truth, so he was going to give it to her whether or not he stumbled over the words. "Yes and that's what scared me. Because Jessica just died and I wasn't ready to let her go, I wasn't ready for the feelings you made me feel, we barely knew each other and yet I felt like I knew you all my life and I—" he struggled to explain. How did one explain that she made him feel too much too quick and it frightened him? He had sold it to himself that Jessica had been this grand love when he really had only placed her on a pedestal because she made him feel loved and cared about until their relationship blew up in his face. Because he realized she needed someone to take care of her and he needed someone to be his equal.

"You stayed away," she supplied.

He nodded and gathered the last of his confidence to finish this and wait for Joss to walk away. "I was a coward. I stayed away to grieve, to come to terms with things that happened with Jessica, and with how I felt about you so quickly. By the time I came to grips with everything, I figured it was too late, that you had to have moved on with your life. I told myself that a woman like you: beautiful, intelligent, funny, and kind wouldn't be unattached for long and I couldn't bear seeing you with another man," he ended lamely with a helpless shrug. With Jessica and Peter it was bad, but if he saw Joss with another man, he would have done something he wouldn't have been proud of.

Joss was quiet for a few moments, turning over everything he said and the things he didn't say but his eyes did. John looked so sad that he had allowed fear to rule him. She knew he felt guilty for it because of Maddie growing up without a daddy.

"I don't know if I want to kiss you or smack you," she muttered; as if she would have moved on with another man with or without Maddie.

John smiled softly before saying, "If I get a vote: I'll take option A," he murmured.

She chuckled before growing serious as she shifted closer to him. "John, you stayed away for no reason. You ruined me that night. No man was ever going to compare to you: not to your intellect, not to your shy flirtation, not to your gentleness in and out of the bedroom, and certainly not to your looks," she spoke, dropping her voice down an octave as she teased her fingertips across his hand, enjoying the feel of his skin under hers.

"Joss…."

"Do you know I wear the lavender shirt you left at my place every night to bed?" she asked and he gently shook his head. "Do you know why I wear your shirt that you left at my place to bed every night?—because it reminds me of you. It reminds me as the material rubs against nipples of when you made me climax as you ground into me fully clothed." she whispered huskily, unsure of what the hell she was doing as she rested her other hand on his thigh, not bothering to teasingly wander her hand up. She ran her hand up and rested it on his crotch feeling him hardening beneath her touch. Her words were affecting him as much as they were her.

John's free hand was caressing her cheek. "Joss, I'm sorry," he apologized.

She leaned in close so their lips were just a fraction apart. "You have nothing to apologize for."

"You were pregnant and alone; you had to raise our daughter for the last four years alone because I was a coward and stayed away, burying myself in my work because it couldn't hurt me," he whispered as he stared at her lips. "So yea, I do need to apologize to you."

She licked them seeing he was so engrossed with her lips, hearing his soft moan. "Fine, you need it, then here it is: you're forgiven for staying away, for making me raise our daughter alone. You're forgiven for being scared, John. Now I need to ask you something for me."

John's gaze lifted from her lips. "Name it, Joss, anything."

"Do Maddie and I fit into your future plan?" she asked breathlessly.

He ducked his head shyly, that their daughter most definitely got from him. "Of course, Maddie's my daughter; and you Joss…if you want to be," he whispered.

"That's not an answer John: yes or no, do you want me in your future plan, not as just Maddie's mother but something more?" she forced the issue, wanting to hear it from him first.

"Yes, Joss, I want you."

"Thank god because I want you too and now I really need you to please kiss me!" she begged and he groaned as he listened.

Joss sighed as the rest of the world melted away beside John as she palmed the growing erection beneath her hand as he slid his hand from under hers as he held her cheek and cupped the back of her neck as he pulled her close. She lifted her hand to rest on his cheek and moaned as he deepened the kiss, coaxing her lips apart and when they did, his tongue swept deep into her mouth to play with hers.

Selma let out a soundless cry of shock as she saw John and Joss, heedless to the fact that she was looking in on them, were locked in an intimate embrace and kissing passionately. She thought she had heard their voices as her and Nigel walked to their seats. And when she got up to go use the restroom she took a small detour towards this private seating area and definitely heard John's soft angelic voice. He really did have a lovely voice. She didn't know what they were talking about but Selma had thought maybe John, Sam, and Joss were sitting alone, wanting to not be interrupted but she couldn't help but surprise them with a quick hello. And instead she found this: John and Joss locked in a hot kiss if she ever saw one. She stared at them as John cradled Joss's face in a gentle hand while the other was in her hair as he deepened the kiss. She felt like she was intruding on a real couple on their honeymoon; rather than John and Sam. She never saw them kiss like that, well, to be fair, she had never seen John and Sam kiss at all. Selma pulled the curtain noiselessly closed as one of them moaned, having gotten enough of them playing tonsil hockey before rushing away, her mind in a whirl. What was she going to do?

John moaned as he broke the kiss to settle his mouth on Joss's neck. She sighed. "Five more days," she panted as she looked behind John's head and shuddered as his tongue found that spot that had wetness pouring out of her. His tongue was so damn soft, warm, and smooth. His hands slid down and cupped her breasts, which wasn't the same with her dress in the way but her nipples were erect so when raked his thumbs over her them it sent spikes of pleasure through her body down to her wet center. Her body responded to his with barely a touch as it was, right now she felt like she roasting from the inside out.

"What?" he whispered raggedly as he slid his left hand down her flat stomach and rested it on her thigh. He loved her skin.

She swallowed hard trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. "Five more days until Maddie can have her daddy, five more days until I can have you. I ache for you, John," she whimpered as she rested her forehead against his. "I've ached for you for nearly five years."

He nuzzled her nose with his. "I ache for you too, Joss," he whispered. And while he couldn't find any relief, Joss could. He pressed a kiss to her lips, distracting her with his mouth as he slid his hand up her thigh under her dress. She gasped and he swallowed it as he found her panties. He shuddered as he felt them wet as he brushed over her.

Joss pushed free of the kiss. "What are you doing?" she managed, squirming to stop his amorous hand from getting inside her panties; they were in a public place.

John stared into her eyes. "I know it's not the same but it's all I can give you for now," he whispered thickly as he forced her up and tugged her panties down her legs, they fell to the floor without any resistance from her which was appalling because she didn't do this. She wasn't adventurous; they weren't behind a door for god's sake, it was just a damn curtain. But she didn't resist when he tugged her to sit on his lap, leaning her back against his chest and her knee bumped the leg of the table. She gasped but not from pain in her knee but from the fact that her butt was nestled against the thick erection that had her hips undulating to rub against him, loving the sexy grunt that escaped him. John's mouth nibbled, licked, and sucked at her neck and earlobe as he parted her thighs, teasingly brushing the inside of her thigh sliding up and down, not touching her where she needed him most. She arched her back as her hips rotated as his hand teased her.

"Lift your leg, put your foot on the couch," he instructed, raspy with need, as his tongue licked her neck, making her moan low in her throat. She did as he wanted and she realized lifting her leg up onto the couch, putting her foot on the couch spread her for him and his hand stopped teasing as his hand moved up and he buried his middle finger deep inside her. His other hand tweaked and pinched her nipple through her bra and dress.

Joss bit her lip to keep from crying out as he inserted a second finger into her while his palm purposely rubbed her clitoris in time with his inward strokes of his fingers, until her hips thrust up needing more of that glorious friction. Her legs spread for him further as she twisted her head to catch his mouth needing him to muffle her because the orgasm was building already and she knew she'd want to scream his name just from sheer ecstasy that he was touching her after all this time.

His touch was so damn electric, sizzling and sparking her body alive, and she reached down with her hand and rested her hand on his. He pulled free of the kiss to whisper, "I want you to fuck yourself, Joss," as he stopped moving his hand and she pushed on his hand to make him move but realized he meant it.

Joss laid her head against his shoulder as she began moving her hips back and forth; loving his hardness resting against her ass and the fingers buried in her pussy. She pushed his palm down firmly into her clit as she sped up her hips to grind against his palm to have his fingers mimic his dick that she desperately wanted. In and out, in an out, but his cock would be bigger and longer, also thicker stretching her so she could feel stuffed full of him. She desperately wanted him inside her and coming and…

Joss climaxed as her hips jerked up, stiffening, and she held his wrist against her tightly keeping his fingers buried up to his knuckles inside her. He had turned her head to muffle her cry of his name with his mouth. When she rode out the last tremor of her orgasm he ended the kiss and she opened her eyes. Her body quivered as she melted against John's chest and she felt oddly satisfied yet unsatisfied as well. What they just did, what he just did to her, and what he had her do was so damn sexy but it wasn't enough. While John's touch was much better than her own, she wanted his mouth on her and his cock buried deep in her. She wanted to feel him come inside her, coat her insides with his seed, to have her mouth on him feeling him strain in her mouth. She didn't want to sneak around like this. His touch only made her crave him more and now the five days would be that much harder to get through; knowing it was still intense between them.

Several moments ticked by before she slowly lifted off him with knees that felt like they were made of rubber and she stared at him. The orgasm did nothing to quench her desire for John, the jerk made it worse as he sucked on his fingers that had been buried inside her and was moaning like her taste rivaled any dessert he'd ever eaten and she knew he was a chocolate fiend like her. Her eyes fell to his groin seeing the glorious and large erection just waiting for her and when she was nestled against him she had felt him throbbing in need.

After he licked every last morsel of her off his fingers he licked his lips and then gulped the wine down with force and shuddered. "How about those Yankees, think they'll be good this year?" he said gruffly, sounding pained.

Joss blinked. "What?" she demanded. Her body was still humming from what they just did and she kind of wanted to talk about them some more, like where did they go from here after this cruise? Or how quickly they could find a bed and make love for real? They had a lot of talking to do and he wanted to talk about baseball?

"If we don't talk about baseball or something equally dull to kill my erection, I'm going to fuck you right here, right now, and to hell with the possibility of someone hearing us," he vowed. "So Joss; how about those Yankees?"

* * *

AN: Poor John must suffer. Next Chapter:

 **Ch 14: U Can't Touch This**

BOOM! That's right a MC Hammer reference and I actually youtubed it and am listening to it right now, though mine has a completely different meaning lol XD Thanks for reading!


	15. Ch 14: U Can't Touch This

John groaned in agony as he cracked an eye open. "You're sadistic, you know that, Shaw," he grumbled as he grabbed his pillow, tugged it out from under his head and put it over his face.

Shaw snickered at his pain. "There's no rest for the wicked, Reese," she said, unapologetic for goosing him. She poured water on his face again but he just rolled over and ignored her, so she had to get inventive.

John slowly rolled off the couch. The next time it was his turn to take the couch or floor; he was choosing the floor. It would be better than trying to squeeze his body onto the damn miniature couch. He had a rough night while Shaw snored loudly; she rivaled a roaring semi-trailer, but he couldn't even blame her for his rough night. It was thoughts about Joss that kept him wide awake.

John had resorted to going up to the 24 hour gym, spending over an hour on the treadmill at max speed trying desperately to run off some of the tension coursing through him. His hair was matted to his scalp and muscle tank plastered to his chest from sweat before he finally quit. It didn't help him release the tension but the run on the treadmill did make him so tired he was ready to drop. When he arrived back to the stateroom Shaw pulled a gun on him before realizing who it was, cussed like a little sailor, and fell promptly back to sleep and the snoring commenced all over again.

He took a lengthy ice cold shower before giving into the desire to find release. Thoughts of Joss plagued him: her cry of his name, her soft moans wishing for more than his finger buried inside her. He did too. He wanted to bury his mouth there and then his aching cock. It hadn't taken very long to come with thoughts of Joss and just how perfect she felt in his arms after all this time and how amazing she felt, but once he found release, he climbed out of the shower and dropped onto the couch contorting his long frame into a half comfortable position and drifted to restless sleep.

They had talked about what happened. He felt better about it for the first time since leaving Joss that morning after because she understood and he had gotten it off his chest about Jessica, about being a coward when it came to his intense feelings for her that he didn't understand, and he finally could move on. Now he could make it up to Joss and their daughter for having to spend five years alone. He even told her he wanted a future with her which was a big step for him. Generally, speaking with women wasn't one of his strong suits which seemed to amuse many. Grace joked that it made him even more desirable to women. But if there was one thing he did worse than speaking with women; it was speaking about his feelings.

Although it was different with Joss, she made it so easy to speak and be honest with her and himself too. She was so well versed in many topics that conversations flowed and never lulled. From the moment he met her at _The Bean_ , to their evening and night together and now; she interested him, intrigued him, and never bored him. Their first hurdle to conquer was talking about the past and what had happened and why he stayed away; which was quickly checked off. Though any previous couple finding each other again after a few years apart typically needed to find out if they still had the hots for each other; well he could say for absolute certainty that wasn't something they had to worry about. He had been so close to jumping her and to hell with the fact that they were behind a simple curtain. The only thing that saved her from him fucking her there and then was talking about the upcoming season for the Yankees and desperately pressing the call button for a server when Joss had looked too enticing as she sat there and looked at him.

But before they could hammer out any future plans together he needed to get through this cruise from hell. Including today, they had four more long days left and he wasn't quite sure if he was going to make it.

John forcefully shelved thoughts of Joss away and looked at Shaw who was smirking at him. "What?" he muttered a little defensively. He was really not in the mood.

"Nothing except for the fact that I just told you that I was texted by Selma and I invited her and her husband to our little beach outing and you totally were in la-la land or more accurately; thinking about plowing Carter," Shaw answered.

"That's the first time Selma texted you," he pointed out, ignoring her last comment. Shaw always had sex on the brain and naturally assumed everyone else did too. This time she was right but he wasn't letting her know she was right, then she'd never shut up. Or provoking him into doing something and 9 out of 10 times he could ignore her and her 'suggestions,' but if she suggested he'd go take Joss so he could concentrate: he might actually listen.

"I know. She said she wanted to talk to me about something and that it's important," Shaw admitted, eyeballing the text with disgust. Oh god, if what she deemed was important was some celebrity gossip she just might kill Selma Gordon-Wixom herself. There were two things in this world she couldn't stand: listening about celebrities' stupid ass lives and someone leaving a half-eaten steak on their plate. Just finish the steak, otherwise it's a waste!

John felt renewed hope. "Do you think she'll tell you something useful for our case that might lead us to closing it sooner rather than later?" he asked hopefully, because then the need to keep their cover from being blown was gone and he could see Joss and Maddie whenever he wanted.

Shaw snorted. "Doubt it; so cool Little Reese down a bit. You went this long without real sex; because sex between you and Iris doesn't count. Mediocre sex doesn't count, EVER."

He exhaled. "How do you even know I had sex with Iris?—you know what, never mind. I prefer not to know how you know. Iris was a mistake," he said with a shake of the head. He had a feeling Shaw had gone to Iris's office before he sat her down to explain about boundaries and when she stepped over them.

"Duh, your worst mistake ever, besides not buying me that steak before our sting op that one time," Shaw agreed.

"Shaw, there was no time to go get you a steak! And you really didn't have to break that woman's leg," he commented with a roll of the eyes as he opened the dresser and found his swim trunks and a white tank-top to wear.

"She came at me with a plastic fork, Reese! Seriously, what the fuck was that druggie going to do: poke me to death?! I was angry that she was coming at me with something so damn lame and I was hungry!"

John sighed. "We better get going or we'll be late," he murmured, not about to argue that the woman had been higher than a kite and that a plastic fork to her had looked like a viable weapon choice at the time. He walked past Shaw towards the bathroom.

Shaw pointed at her bikini. "I'm ready to go Reese; I'm not the one that slept in so I could get some fantasy pussy."

John smirked. "Sorry mom, I'll get going." he stated as he slid the door shut and heard her curse.

* * *

This had to be hell. It just had to be; being this close to a scantily clad Joss and not be able to do a damn thing.

John walked in between Shaw and Joss on the beach with Maddie hefted on his shoulders as they looked for the perfect spot on the beach. Maddie had practically climbed up his body with her wish to be on his shoulders.

"Hi people!" Maddie exclaimed as she waved at the other beach dwellers that were already out and about. Many waved back to her while others chuckled.

As they walked the length of the beautiful beach with soft sand they found a nice patch of beach to settle and enjoy their outing.

His eyes drifted to Joss, not for the first or second or even the third time, and peeked down her bikini top that was held together by ties only and felt surly as he was jealous of the fabric clinging to her breasts and also the bottoms too. He sure wouldn't mind settling between Joss's legs. But not only was he jealous of an inanimate object that got to touch Joss more than he got too: but he had to share her with an overly talkative Shaw who was gabbing it up with Joss about guns. He should be happy that Shaw was showing signs of actually liking Joss. And he was, but after last night he didn't want to share Joss with anyone, including Shaw. But being alone with Joss would test his willpower and he was better off having Shaw, Maddie, and the Wixoms around to keep him under control.

"Right here is nice." Joss murmured as she looked out to the ocean and then dropped the tote bag down and proceeded to bend in front of him to tug out the beach towel.

John eyed Joss's ass. Yep, this was his hell.

Shaw smirked at Reese as he eyed Carter's ass before noticing the Wixoms were walking down the beach towards them. She pasted on a smile which was beginning to hurt her face as she greeted them. "Hi Selma, Nigel,"

John turned to smile at them and Maddie waved. He noted with curiosity that Selma didn't even look him in the eye. "Er…hello," she managed before scurrying past him and hugged Shaw. He clenched his teeth together to stop laughing at Shaw's look as she stood stiff as a board.

"What the f—okay, yea, sure, hug me. I don't mind hugs," Shaw agreed as she awkwardly patted the woman's back.

"We need to talk," Selma whispered in her ear before pushing free of the hug. Shaw eyed her and then Nigel, who shrugged.

Shaw nodded. "Sure, in a little bit," she agreed slowly, unsure of what the hell was going on; but her job description didn't include people hugging her and she barely kept from threatening to cut her arms to stubs for doing so.

John again noticed that Selma wouldn't look at him and she sounded off as Joss greeted her and she responded back monotonously, definitely without her usual zip. She looked close to tears and Joss shared a look with him as Joss tied her hair up high in a bun. He shrugged; understanding women was a skill set that he wasn't gifted with. He hefted his daughter up and over his head and set her on her feet as they all squeezed onto Joss's giant red beach towel together.

Maddie stood at his and Joss's feet looking out to the ocean, hopping from one foot to the other in desperate excitement to go swimming as Joss sat on his one side and Shaw was on his other.

Shaw leaned close to him. "What the hell is up with Selma?—she looks like someone ran over one her endangered animals," she muttered quietly as they eyed the couple who were a good twenty feet from them, setting down a beach towel and umbrella, looking like they were arguing gently. Perhaps there was trouble in paradise already. So not only did the sex stop like directly after the 'I dos' but the fights commenced before the honeymoon finished too. So marriage blew hard as she figured.

"Not sure but it looks like she wants to tell her new BFF," he teased quietly as Maddie's attention was on mommy who was speaking to her.

"My life sucks," Shaw complained.

"It does," he agreed, earning a giggle out of Joss, who was listening while she began putting sunscreen on Maddie. "But pretend you care about what it is and you should get through it," he instructed.

"I need to stop being so damn irresistible to people," Shaw muttered.

Joss snorted at that comment as she covered her baby from head to toe in sunscreen. Shaw…irresistible to people?—maybe to deaf people that couldn't hear the obnoxious words that came out of the filthy mouth she had. "You know the meaning of 'irresistible' right, Sam?" Joss questioned jokingly.

Shaw glowered before saying, "Yea. So pipsqueak: where do babies come from?" Shaw wondered with a dark smile as Maddie looked at her immediately.

Joss narrowed her eyes on the smirking woman before glancing at Maddie who looked confused. "I dunno," Maddie answered before looking back to Joss. "Mommy, where do babies come from?" she asked innocently.

John glared at Shaw while Joss thought quick, "John is going to help me blow up your arm floaties so you can go swimming with him and mommy," she said quickly, sidetracking her daughter with John, which worked like a charm as Maddie was easily diverted as she clapped in delight.

He caught an arm floatie flung at him from Joss and their daughter all but pounced on him. Joss looked at Shaw and flung the sunscreen at her wishing to clunk the brat in the head. Never float a question like that around a little four year old! Or never tell a little four year old that Santa wasn't real! Once the arm floaties were blown up and shimmied up their daughter's skinny arms, Maddie was practically bouncing to get into the ocean as she tugged on mommy and John's hands trying to drag them to their feet.

Shaw shared a look with Reese and looked past him and saw Selma eyeing them while Nigel must have gone into the water. Shaw looked back at Reese and at the prospect of having Reese put sunscreen on her back to make it look good. It made her sick.

"I'll burn," she muttered to herself as she rubbed sunscreen on her arms, shoulders, legs, and mid-section before flinging the bottle to Carter.

"Mommy, John, I wanna go swimming!" Maddie cried, dropping their hands when it wasn't working, reminding them she was bouncing around in need to get in the water.

Joss glanced at her baby, knowing they were killing her with going adult speed and not kid speed. "In a minute baby: mommy needs sunscreen too." she murmured before looking at John with a coy smile. "If you wouldn't be so kind?" she requested.

He eyed the sunscreen, then her, and she felt a little warm as his eyes lodged on her breasts. She was hoping her nipples wouldn't respond but that was like hoping the day wouldn't end: it was going to happen. She just had to hope that no one would notice her body responding to John's every move, touch, and look.

John's eyes lifted and he shook his head. "No," he said softly. Was Joss mad?—she wanted him to run his hands all over her body with Shaw, their daughter, and the Wixoms watching? How was he supposed to pretend he didn't enjoy the feel of his hands gliding over her hot skin? How was he supposed to not respond to the touch? "Sam can do it," he blurted out, sending Shaw a pleading look.

It went unnoticed. "Hell no!—I'm not touching her!" Shaw complained.

Joss frowned. "I don't have a disease, Sam!" She turned to John, "besides I don't want her touching me, I want you to do it. You do me: I'll do you," she purred as Maddie plopped onto her butt and ran a finger through the sand, apparently done with the adults around her.

John's eyes widened. That was even worse than running his hands all over Joss's body: having hers run all over his and not be able to do a damn thing about it.

He swallowed hard. "Joss I can't have you touch me any more than I can touch you," he said softly.

Shaw rolled her eyes. "Not in any of the good places," Shaw commentated, earning her a tight glare from Reese. She exhaled before ripping the sunscreen out of Carter's hand. "Fine: I'll take one for the team since touching Carter's back will make little Reese too hard to handle," she snapped as she squirted a healthy amount into her hand. "Lay down," she barked.

Joss grumbled as she did as she was told and she was waiting for the abrasive touch. But surprisingly, Shaw was gentle as she rubbed the sunscreen smoothly into her back. It still wasn't John's touch but at least her back would be protected.

"Wow you have soft skin," Shaw muttered.

"Thanks Shaw…."

After Shaw was done she smirked. "I could do your front too," she suggested, which Joss rolled her eyes at and John grunted in annoyance.

"I can handle that," Joss assured her.

"Or John can," Shaw winked before glowering as she realized Selma was waving her over. "Great, she's waving me over now. I think I'd rather drown," Shaw sneered as she got to her feet, better get this over with. She started over for Selma.

"Now can we go swimming mommy?" Maddie begged as she stood up with renewed hope that mommy and John were ready.

John sure wouldn't mind a cool off himself as he grabbed his tank-top hem and whipped it over his head, not seeing Joss's look.

"Not yet baby, John needs some sunscreen too." Joss said as she quickly reached out and proceeded to cease his movement up. "And by process of elimination: I'm the only one left to help," she purred with a wicked gleam in her eye as she stared at his hard muscular body. Too bad they had company around them. "Want to help me, Maddie, so we can get in the water quicker?" she asked, finally managing to stop staring at John's chest.

"YESSSSS!" Maddie shouted as she cupped her little hands out and Joss squeezed a small amount so their baby could help rub sunscreen on John. She rubbed his shin.

John grumbled lowly as she squirted some sunscreen into his hand so he could do his arms so they didn't kill their daughter with how slow they were moving. To kids a few minutes were a lifetime!

Joss rubbed her hands together as she tackled his shoulders, his very tense and warm shoulders. She sighed as she ran her hands down his back, trailing her thumbs alongside his spine and nearly groaned at the soft feel. John was all hard male yet had the softest skin imaginable.

He tried to ignore the feel of Joss's hands running across his back and in a non-sexual way and yet it felt too sensual. This was why he couldn't have her touch him, it was too much. John jumped a little as Joss's hands slid around his body and rubbed his chest while her fingers knowingly and teasingly brushed his nipples.

"We have a kid present," he muttered.

She giggled. "I'm just trying to keep you safe from the sun," she purred in his ear as Maddie was intently focused on his other leg. Joss let her hands toy with danger as she dragged her hands down his ribcage feeling him shift and let her fingertips dip past the elastic of his swim trunks.

John scooped Maddie up into his arms, earning squeals and giggles as he desperately needed to get away from Joss and her touch. "Come on, Maddie, let's race your mommy to the ocean!"

Maddie laughed joyously as John ran with her across the beach. "I'm gonna get you!" Joss shouted as she gave chase.

* * *

Shaw dragged her feet as she headed over to where Selma was seated on a beach towel under an umbrella. She looked positively green. Shaw slowly dropped beside her and watched Reese, Carter, and Maddie together. She wanted to snort as Carter discreetly was all over Reese but looked innocent enough. She liked how Carter got under Reese's skin. Plus the woman had amazing skin. She was going to raid her bathroom the next time she was in New York and find out what she used!

Shaw's gaze quickly slid from them to Selma. "What's up, Selma?"

Selma looked at her and tears rolled down her cheeks. "I have something to tell you and I don't know how, Sam," she admitted. "Nigel told me not to say anything, that it was none of my business and he's right, of course. I really shouldn't have looked behind that curtain but…" Selma trailed off wiping at her eyes. Both of them looked up when they heard infectious young laughter as John ran across the beach with Maddie in his arms with Carter hot on his trail.

Shaw looked back at Selma. "Okay, what do you have to tell me?"

"I saw your husband and Joss kissing. They were alone in this private seating behind a curtain and I thought you were there and I wanted to say hi so I pulled back the curtain and saw them."

Shaw looked up. "Any tongue?" she demanded.

"Excuse me?"

"Tongue!—Selma, was there any tongue?" she demanded.

"Yes lots of tongue!" Selma said outraged.

"Atta boy, Reese," Shaw said under her breath then looked up and realized Selma was waiting for something. "What?"

"Aren't you mad?—I found your husband kissing another woman and quite passionately! Didn't they just meet? And she has a daughter to think about."

Crap, she forgot all about her fake marriage to Reese! Shaw thought fast. "John and I have an open marriage," she said the first thing she could come up with.

Selma's eyes widened. "Oh, you're swingers?"

Shaw rolled with it. "Yea, my husband totally wanted to bone Joss the first second he saw her. I mean it was so obvious wasn't it? He was totally hot for her. John and I both like it this way; keeps things fresh for us. As you know my husband has a very healthy sexual appetite and I prefer him going with women I approve of. In fact we are going to ask Joss into a threesome," Shaw said now finding her groove, pretending she wasn't shocking Selma while covering for Reese's ass and having a little fun, all in one.

"Oh, well, that changes everything," Selma admitted, relaxing immediately and looking less pale and upset and, for the first time since arriving on the beach, she smiled.

"John and I find monogamy boring. But we love each other so we tied the knot. And I have no interest in kids and it's clear that John loves Maddie already; he's practically her dad so I wouldn't be surprised if you see him hanging around her suite," Shaw added to help Reese out a bit. He was dying to spend more time with Maddie.

Selma nodded thoughtfully before glancing at her in worry. "Nigel and I aren't…"

Shaw waved her hand at her. "John and I know that from the first time we met you. You two clearly have eyes only for each other."

"Not saying that John isn't quite possibly the sexiest man I have ever seen, but Nigel is my one and only," Selma admitted. Shaw's lips twitched as Selma's cheeks burned bright red from admitting she found Reese sexy. "But now knowing that you have an open marriage I am relieved. I thought he was cheating on you."

"Nope, not cheating as long as it's Joss, then I'm alright with it," she agreed and in part it was truth. Carter wasn't bad, she liked guns, treated Reese well and the kid wasn't bad either. Shaw turned to look out in the ocean and saw Reese, Carter, and Maddie all playing in the water.

Selma followed the look. She didn't know how John and Sam could handle such an arrangement, but if it worked for them so they could remain together, then so be it.

Shaw leaned back on Selma's blanket and imagined the amount of steaks Reese was going to get her for this one and smirked.

* * *

John rushed into the water, running with Maddie as she laughed with Joss hot on his trail and he didn't stop until he was thigh high in water, not wanting to take Maddie out too far. He crouched down and set the little fish in the water as Joss caught up and she pinched his butt as he was angled away from Shaw and Selma.

"Cheater!" she said laughingly.

John shrugged as he dove into the water desperately needing to cool off. Joss slowly settled into the water careful to not get her hair wet and soon they slowly swam with Maddie. John grabbed Maddie under the arms. "On the count of three, sweetheart, I'm going to fling you into the air and you're going to make the biggest splash ever," he promised.

Maddie began bouncing in the water, smiling wide. "Yes, yes, yes, yes!" she chanted happily.

"Count me down, Maddie," he instructed.

Joss smiled proudly as their daughter, who had already learned how to count to a hundred, counted up to three and on each number John raised and lowered Maddie up and down a bit in the water. "Three!" she squealed and John lifted Maddie up and shot her up into the air, not as far as he could lift their precious cargo, but high enough that had Maddie letting out a scream of utter delight as she fell into the water with a splash. Laughter was greeting their ears and John was looking mighty proud of himself at bringing their daughter so much joy.

"Go again, go again!" she demanded as she thrashed over to John to throw her in the air again. Joss gently waded near them as they did the countdown, listening to Maddie's excitement in her number counting as she went from one to three so quick, and then squeals of absolute bliss as she was tossed into the air and fell into the water. John got her up higher and higher but stopped well belong how high she was sure John could toss their baby.

"Careful, John, you're going to be her favorite swim toy," Joss teased.

"Mommy's turn!" Maddie begged and John immediately looked at her.

"Mommy doesn't need or want a turn, Maddie. I can't get my hair wet." Joss assured as John's grin turned wicked.

"I think Maddie is a little genius," he purred as he reached for her.

Joss danced out of his reach as she swam away from him. "Oh no you don't!" Joss swam from them.

John grinned at Maddie. "Come on Maddie, let's go catch mommy." he said with a co-conspirator grin that their daughter matched. He stayed close to Maddie to make sure she felt like she was in the race of catching mommy and after a few moments, Joss let them catch her.

"Gotcha mommy!" Maddie cried victorious as she grabbed a hold of Joss.

John grabbed Joss's hips. "Yea, mommy we got you," he purred as she mouthed 'you're dead' at him as Maddie let go of mommy and John lifted her up high and tossed her not as high as he could their daughter but Joss did get some hang-time; Maddie watched with giggles as mommy landed back into the ocean with a loud splash. Joss broke the surface of the water sputtering.

"Get daddy," Joss cried, it was war now! John's eyes widened but neither Joss nor Maddie seemed to notice what she exclaimed as they swam towards him predatorily.

He dove into the water and swam from them. "Maddie, you're Benedict Arnold-ing me!" he joked.

Maddie had no clue what that meant but she just laughed at daddy anyway as she swam with mommy to catch him. John dipped under the water as he stopped and broke the surface facing them and splashed them.

Joss and Maddie splashed back, neither side backing down, and before long Joss sent in Maddie to distract John and began shoveling water his way. The splash war continued on but with it being two on one and Joss gaining the upper hand, John graciously met defeat.

"I'm out. I bow to the Carter ladies!"

After Joss and Maddie celebrated their splash war victory; they swam together sharing a nice time together until Nigel swam over. John immediately slipped back into his cover as he looked back to the shore and saw Shaw was sitting with Selma and they looked like they were talking.

"Hey guys," Nigel murmured.

"Hey Nigel," John responded. "Sam wasn't in the mood to swim so I went with Joss and Maddie…"

Nigel shifted his gaze around before looking at him directly. "I _know_ John."

"You know what?"

Nigel looked back at Selma and then back at him. "I know that you're John Reese and that woman sitting with my wife isn't your wife but rather your partner. You're here to protect Selma."

John and Joss shared a look. Maddie didn't seem to understand what was going on as she climbed on John to toss her in the air. "You know?" he repeated slowly. Did he blow his cover somehow? Did Shaw? He threw his daughter into the air at her insistence.

"Yes, I was in on the meeting with Harold and my new father-in-law and it was Selma's father's idea of having her not know that he wanted additional protection on our honeymoon, not mine. Sel wouldn't have been happy but she would have agreed to make Richard and Harold happy." Nigel explained and John quietly fumed.

"So you knew this entire time?"

"Yes. I didn't want to pose as any problem with your investigation and protecting Selma."

Joss looked at Maddie. "I think it's time we head back to shore and have some snacks Maddie?" Joss said.

"I wanna swim more mommy!"

"And you will after we take a break." Joss assured her stubborn baby who thrashed over to John wrapping her arms around John's arm.

Maddie looked up at John. "Can I sit on your shoulders so I can be tall?" she asked sweetly.

John smiled as he lifted his daughter up onto his shoulders. Nigel smiled. "If we could talk alone at some point I need to speak with you or your partner, John?"

"Of course, I'll meet with you later after we are done being at port," John agreed as he slowly walked through the water with Joss by his side, Maddie on his shoulders as they headed back for the shore together. John's eyes searched out Shaw and Selma. He saw that Selma was smiling at them, apparently whatever was upsetting her Shaw had soothed over.

John looked at Nigel who nodded. "Sounds good, and it's nice that the bureau let you bring your daughter and wife with you." Nigel said and Joss froze as John did. "Sorry that you guys can't spend too much time together. We'll talk soon, John; I have to tell you something that my wife witnessed," Nigel said and with that he broke apart from them.

"Mommy?"

Joss looked at Maddie in desperation wanting to ward off the question she knew was coming. Her daughter was inquisitive and Nigel said that in front of her. "Let's go eat snacks!" she tried to distract her daughter.

"Is John my daddy?"

* * *

AN: Poor John he just can't have Joss touching him ;D And I know a small little cliffie happening again I'm sorry. Next chapter:

 **Ch 15: My Daddy?**

Thanks for reading! Oh and Bring Me to Life will get an update but not sure if it will be next week or not. I am holding off because I want to make sure it's how I absolutely want it to be. But I have a small goodie to sidetrack you guys with :)


	16. Ch 15: My Daddy?

"Is John my daddy?"

Joss and John shared a look. How were they going to wiggle out of this one?—if they said no, then they were going to thoroughly confuse their daughter when they explained to her that John was in fact her daddy. But if they said yes there was no way in hell Maddie was not going to call John 'daddy' to everyone in a fifty mile radius or keep a secret. She was just too young to understand that daddy was undercover. Nigel might know the truth but Selma didn't and she was the one they had to keep it from.

John looked at the shore and saw Nigel heading over to where Selma and Shaw were and he hoped like hell Selma had no inclination to come into the water anytime soon. He was still angry with the fact that he had to play this charade when Nigel knew the truth, why couldn't Selma? He understood the Senator's worry, but Selma knowing the truth wasn't going to hurt their ability to keep her safe or ruin her honeymoon. But they were in this situation since the Senator wanted it this way and Control wasn't one to listen to complaints.

He looked at Joss and acted on instinct, they'd come up with something to tell Selma but they had to tell Maddie the truth. If they didn't then Maddie was going to not understand when they did tell her the truth. John nodded to give her the green light; he'd suffer the consequences of the action. If he got fired then so be it.

Joss took that as her cue. John lifted Maddie up and off his shoulders and Joss took her into her arms and smiled at their daughter. She was finally going to be able to tell her daughter that she found her dad. She was finally going to give her daughter what she has wanted for so long.

"Is John your daddy?" she repeated Maddie's question.

Maddie nodded as she pointed at Nigel's back, "That man says John is my daddy and John is nice like you said, mommy, and tall. John is taller than the skyscrapers at home, mommy, and he's-he's got blue eyes like me. You said that my daddy gave me blue eyes," Maddie explained. Joss smiled at her daughter's explanation as to how she came to the conclusion and from the fact that their daughter thought John was taller than skyscrapers.

"Well baby: yes, John is your daddy. He finally could come back for us," she answered staring directly into her daughter's blue eyes.

Maddie's head whipped to the side. "Hi daughter," John whispered gruffly.

Maddie immediately lunged for him. John turned so he was angled away from the shore as he easily took her into his arms and he held her tightly as she cried on his shoulder.

"Oh sweetheart why are you crying?—mommy told you I'd come back for you when I could. I'm so sorry you had to wait this long but mommy and I wanted you to get to know me before we told you the truth," he murmured, remembering the cover story Joss had used with their daughter about his whereabouts. He rubbed Maddie's back comfortingly as her head was buried against his neck, little arms wrapped around his neck awkwardly with the arm floaties and her thin frame heaved.

"I'm so happy!" Maddie cried loudly, muffled by John's neck.

Joss felt tears prick at the backs of her eyes at the declaration and didn't feel so bad because John's eyes grew bright with unshed tears. "So am I, Maddie, so am I. I finally have you and mommy again," John assured her roughly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

Maddie cried in happiness on his shoulder and Joss leaned in close to rub her back to comfort her. Joss looked up at John. "She's wanted you for so long and she loved you the first moment she met you at the poolside," she added for her daughter.

John smiled as Joss reached up to dash the tears that slipped down his cheeks. "So did I," he agreed as he leaned his head back so he could try to look at Maddie. "Maddie, I love you."

"I l-love you d-daddy," Maddie whimpered through sniffles.

Joss wished that she was alone with John and Maddie so she could kiss him. He was holding Maddie tightly as their daughter clung to him nearly as tight. But she had to settle for a caring smile instead since they were out in the open before speaking to her daughter. "Baby, look at mommy," Joss whispered as she ran a hand soothingly in their daughter's braids. Her little face appeared but still rested on John's chest. She reached over and brushed away a few tears from their baby's eyes.

"I promise you: Daddy's not going anywhere now that you have him. Let's head back to the shore and eat some snacks, and relax for a little bit before we swim some more, okay?" she suggested and Maddie nodded a little but kept close to John's chest. Joss looked at John. "She's not letting you go anytime soon," she teased as they turned to head for the shore.

John didn't say a word as he was content having his daughter in his arms. "We have to figure out what we are going to do with Selma now that Maddie knows the truth," she murmured.

"I know. Maddie's too young to understand. And Selma's the only one who doesn't know the truth. Maybe I should stay away when she's around," John said with a frown.

Joss echoed that frown. "No, we can't do that. Maddie will cry for you," she whispered. "There has to be some other way we can color it to Selma without blowing your cover completely."

John sighed. He hoped so. Maddie might cry for him but he would miss Joss and Maddie too much to stay away for long. They slowly approached their beach towel and noticed Shaw had headed over and was smiling, actually smiling, like the Cheshire cat. John was suspicious as he carried Maddie over as her cries grew quieter but her arms still were tight around his neck.

"What?" he commanded.

Shaw smirked as she sat down on the towel first. "Nothing, except you owe me about ten steaks." Shaw said and thought better about it. "No wait, you have a billionaire friend: have him buy me a steakhouse after what I just did for you two!"

"What are you talking about?" John asked, needing to tell her about Nigel knowing the truth. Shaw wasn't going to be anymore happy than he was about the fact that Nigel knew this entire time and Selma didn't and the fact that they having to pose as newlyweds wasn't really that necessary.

In fact John wanted to know why Selma wasn't allowed to know the truth since Nigel knew. Nigel said that his father-in-law had wanted it that way. He wondered if Harold had wanted it that way too or was it Richard Gordon alone. He was going to have to call Finch and ask him exactly what was said.

"Guess who caught you two last night: Selma! Seriously, did you guys think that the curtain was a cloak of invisibility or something?" Shaw stated.

Joss's eyes widened as she shared a look with John and then looked back at Shaw. "She saw us doing what exactly?" Joss asked quietly.

Shaw narrowed her eyes. "She saw you two kissing," she answered and noticed both Reese and Carter looked relieved and then she smirked. "Wait a minute: what did you two do that makes you relieved that Selma only saw you two kissing?—Reese I told you not to do anything I would."

John rolled his eyes. "I didn't threaten to kill the server," he commented as he sat down carefully with his daughter. "And as for the rest: nothing else happened," he lied through his teeth.

"Uh-huh," Shaw didn't believe that shit. Both Carter and Reese looked like they were sagging with relief. "Anyway, I told them we are swingers and that you two were hard up for each other."

"You told her we're swingers?" John demanded.

"Well, what else would explain why you were sucking on Carter's face without being a two-timing bastard? I didn't think she'd buy the fact that you mistakenly thought Carter's mouth was your own. Or that she'd buy that you were just checking Carter's mouth for cavities or if she still had her tonsils. Apparently there was a lot of tongue last night," Shaw said with a snicker, finding enjoyment as Reese looked ready to strangle her if he could.

"Language, Shaw," Joss muttered with a motion to Maddie who was quiet but she had the tendency to repeat words, especially ones she didn't know and pretend she did and was using them in the correct sense.

Shaw rolled her eyes. "I had to think fast because she was questioning why I wasn't mad. It was the best I could come up with. She was crying over thinking you were cheating on me. It was the only thing that would stop the waterworks flowing and the snot from flying out of her nose," Shaw explained and John cringed at the mental image.

Shaw shifted her gaze off them and onto the little girl who was snuggled up to John and not being her normal cheerful self. "What's wrong with the pipsqueak?" she asked.

"Nigel knows."

"Geez, everyone was watching you. Was the curtain see-through?" Shaw muttered.

John sighed. "No, Nigel knows who we are and what we are really doing here," he corrected.

"He knows?—you blew our cover, didn't you, with your tongue hanging out around Carter!" Shaw demanded.

"He was in on the meeting with the Senator. Selma is the only one that doesn't know," he said quietly, watching her eyes widen and darken in anger. "Remember we have a four year present. Curse in your mind only, Shaw," he demanded.

"Yes, please," Joss asked gently as she sat beside John and took out a bag of crackers.

"Nigel figured out Maddie is my daughter and thought that Maddie knew that she was my daughter," he explained softly.

Shaw blinked. "Wait, so Mads knows you're her dad?" Shaw asked quietly.

"Yea and we need to come up with a plan for Selma because Maddie is too young to understand," Joss murmured.

Shaw shrugged. "That's not going to be a problem: I might have mentioned to Selma while I was saving our ass-behinds with us being swingers and Reese wanting to bone you that he was practically the pipsqueak's dad. Maybe we can use that to our advantage; color it that Maddie has mistaken him for her daddy or something," Shaw said triumphantly.

Joss liked that idea; she liked that a lot because it would explain why Maddie was calling John 'daddy' now and wouldn't outright blow John's cover sky high. She could kiss Shaw for this but had a feeling the small angry woman would either shoot her for it or enjoy it.

John looked at Shaw. "You said that?"

"Yea, you are like a sad sock puppet without them so I tried to come up with a way to give you a chance to see them more," Shaw muttered.

John bumped her shoulder. "Thank you, Shaw," he said sincerely, knowing Shaw wasn't comfortable with more than that.

Shaw looked out to the ocean, uncomfortable with the gratitude. "Buy me a prime rib and call us even," she stipulated.

It took a few tries until they finally coaxed Maddie to sit leisurely on John's lap. She looked to Sam. "He's my daddy," Maddie informed her, snacking on a cracker given to her from Joss.

Shaw smirked. "Yea, well he's my friend: you trump me but I still have rights to him too," she said before looking at Carter. "You got crackers?—where's my cracker?" she demanded and Maddie giggled.

Joss held out a cracker to Shaw and the woman snatched it away from her and stuffed it into her mouth.

John leaned close to Joss. "Forgot to warn you about when befriending Shaw that you have to feed her constantly," he whispered and Joss chuckled.

"I can handle that. It's like having a third child." Joss said teasingly. It was better being on this woman's good side and feeding her constantly than her bad side.

After a few moments Nigel and Selma made their way over. Joss tensed up but John rubbed her hand discreetly. Maddie sat on his lap munching on her crackers. "We are heading in. We hope you guys enjoy your afternoon on the beach," Selma murmured finally able to meet their eyes again. Her cheeks were a little pink apparently still trying to adjust to them being swingers. So did John.

Shaw smirked and John sighed; poor Selma. "Yea, maybe later we can meet at the Fortunes Casino," he suggested, knowing that Nigel wanted to talk to them. Shaw would have to text Donnelly that he was up with keeping an eye on the Wixoms while they were on the ship.

Shaw scooted behind Carter and massaged her shoulders. "Definitely later," Shaw added with a mouthful of cracker.

Joss looked at Shaw as if she lost her mind, "Did you just get cracker bits in my hair?" she asked, incredulous that a woman this age was still talking with her mouth full. "Never mind," she muttered before looking back to Selma and narrowed her eyes as Selma's blush brightened further. Uh-oh, she had a feeling there was more to what Shaw told this woman than merely that John and Shaw were swingers and John was into her.

Nigel nodded. "Sounds good. We'll text you later when it would be a good time for us. Have a nice afternoon," Nigel said with a warm smile.

"He's my daddy!" Maddie announced and Selma's eyes widened as she looked at John.

Joss climbed to her feet pushing away from John's partner and motioned with her head at the Wixoms to walk with her. She couldn't have Selma try to correct her. "Sorry about that: my daughter is firmly attached to John," she explained quietly when they were out of earshot of Maddie.

"Oh dear, is that very wise with the situation between you, John, and Sam?"

"Sel, it's not our call," Nigel warned with an apologetic look to Joss.

Joss forced a smile. "My daughter loves John already," Joss said, unsure of what exactly Shaw had said but not going to call it into question. "I care about John…and Sam," she added Shaw at the last second.

Selma nodded. "Well as long as it works for you guys. I care about all three of you. I like to think of you, John, and Sam as friends."

"And we feel the same way. You're a wonderful woman, Selma." Joss said sincerely. "Sam told me you saw John and me kissing."

"Yes, I'm terribly embarrassed for looking in on you two. I thought I heard John's voice and figured that the three of you were together. I had no idea that John and Sam were swingers and you were thinking of having a threesome," Selma said.

Joss nearly choked. "A threesome?" she repeated making sure it was what she thought she heard.

"Oh dear she didn't run it by you yet?—Sam said…" Selma trailed off as she worried her lip with her teeth, suddenly anxious. She didn't mean to say something that Shaw hadn't run by Joss yet. She didn't want to ruin what was going on between the three of them. It was strange and she was never in this position before, but if it worked for them then she was going to support it.

Joss plotted ways of killing Shaw before she waved Selma off and smiled, "It's okay Selma. John, Sam, and I have some talking to do before anything happens. You didn't break confidence with Sam and you certainly didn't ruin anything," she reassured her. Joss looked to Nigel then back at Selma. "It was nice seeing you."

"Likewise," Selma said, looking forlorn that she did something wrong.

Joss patted her arm and turned back to walk to John, Sam, and Maddie. Shaw cocked a brow. "What?" she demanded.

"A threesome?" Joss hissed as she sat down on the towel next to John as they watched the Wixoms walking away, then shifted her gaze back at Shaw. "A threesome?—you are out of your mind."

Shaw shrugged. "I had to have a little fun at your expense for helping out," Shaw said defensively. "And what's so bad about a threesome with Reese and I?—I'll have you know I'm a beast in the sack."

John laughed at the announcement and Shaw punched him. But they dropped the subject when Maddie wondered what 'beast in the sack' meant. John easily diverted her with the idea of building a sand castle.

John stood up and Maddie wrapped her arms around his legs. He looked down at Shaw and Joss. "You two ladies want to help me and Maddie make a sand castle?" he asked.

Shaw snorted. "Screw a sand castle, we are building a sand fortress. It's go big or go home!" Shaw taunted as she got to her feet.

John and Joss shook their heads at Shaw's enthusiasm; John grabbed Maddie's hand in one of his and Joss's in his other and they walked towards the shoreline to go build a sand fortress.

* * *

AN: Sorry that this isn't very long but it was just perfect as is with all the family moments :) Next chapter:

 **Ch 16: I Will Survive, I Hope**

Thanks for reading!


	17. Ch 16: I Will Survive, I Hope

_**AN: Happy Birthday Jimcaviezelbiggestfan :)**_

* * *

John walked with Joss and Maddie to their suite. Shaw broke apart with them to go meet up with Donnelly to talk about the Wixoms and about the fact that Nigel knew the truth about who they were. John wasn't sure if Nigel knew about Donnelly being there or not; either way they didn't want to tip there hand.

They had spent hours on the beach then walking and taking in the sights at Cozumel. John bought Maddie a pink and white mariachi sombrero that looked cute on her. Just like the pink sandals mommy got her, Joss knew their daughter wasn't going to take the sombrero off her head until she had to. They had eaten real Mexican cuisine for lunch and it was to die for, even for Maddie, who never had an enchilada before, loved it.

Joss reluctantly opened the door to her suite, sad that the day was to an end for them. John needed to get back to work and she needed to get Maddie a bath before she took her to the Fun Factory for a few hours.

"Play with me daddy!" Maddie begged as she wrapped her arms around his left leg unwilling to let him leave.

Joss crouched down to her level. "Maddie, daddy needs to go," she said sternly. Joss knew this was going to be an issue because now that Maddie knew John was her daddy she wasn't going to want him to leave.

"No, he can stay," Maddie countered but quietly, not too sure she should be arguing with mommy, as she held his leg tighter.

"Yes, he does Maddie. Daddy will see you tomorrow."

"But tomorrow is tomorrow, mommy," Maddie stated as if that explained her reasoning why John couldn't leave.

Joss smiled. "Tomorrow is close."

"Not that close," Maddie cried adding tears for effect.

Joss straightened up and looked at John. "Tag you're it," Joss muttered as she folded her arms.

John sighed. "Maddie, look at your daddy."

"No," she refuted as she squeezed his leg tighter, knocking her little sombrero off her head. Thankfully with the string it kept the thing from flying off from the wind.

"Maddie, please look at daddy…" he cajoled.

"No," she repeated.

"Maddie, by not looking at me isn't going to make me stay, sweetheart," he said softly as he reached down and lifted a now a really crying Maddie.

"Don't leave me," she sobbed as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Joss felt her heart ache but she led John into their suite as he carried their daughter in as their daughter's wails grew louder.

"She doesn't understand," John whispered as he rubbed her back trying to console her. "Maddie, I'm not leaving forever," he said softly before kissing her cheek.

"Madeline, look at mommy," Joss commanded gently and their daughter responded by doing as requested. "Baby, daddy isn't leaving you forever. Daddy has to go to work," she explained as much as she could to a four year old.

Her body heaved. "L-like you m-mommy?" she said her voice wobbling.

Joss smiled as she nodded, "Yea, it's sort of like when I have to leave you with Gram Gram or with Aunt Grace and Uncle Harold to play with Leila for a while and then there I am to pick you up," Joss agreed and felt John stiffen, but she was focused on soothing her daughter. "Daddy is going to be like that for a while too because daddy is a man that puts bad guys away."

Maddie lifted her head off John's chest and looked at John. He lifted his free hand up and wiped away her tears. "Maddie, I don't want to leave you and mommy but I have to go stop bad people from hurting good ones, just like your mommy does," he murmured before leaning in and kissed her cheek before leaning back and fixed her sombrero to be back on her head. "But I have a little time till I have to go to work." Shaw would just have to stall for him with Donnelly; he already owed her a few prime ribs for coming up with that lie she did, what's one more?

"How about a movie?" Joss suggested knowing her daughter wasn't going to make it past the first ten minutes. She looked sleepy and whenever their daughter cried a lot was telling of how tired she was.

John maneuvered over to the couch and sat down, setting Maddie on the couch between him and Joss and Joss chose a children's movie. It took fifteen minutes, five more than she figured, and Maddie was out like a light.

John smirked as he looked to Joss. "You knew she'd fall asleep."

"Works every time and with Maddie's sleep schedule being a bit off I knew it wouldn't take long. Maddie has been going to sleep late and getting up early. And then there is the night where she didn't sleep much at all because she was going to get to spend time with 'John the gician' who just so happened to be her daddy," Joss explained with a smile as she turned the movie off. "I'll let her sleep for an hour and she'll be ready for the Fun Factory."

John slowly got up so not to wake their daughter. Joss followed and Maddie curled up on the couch and remained asleep. "I guess I should go." he murmured as he suddenly became aware of the fact that he was alone with Joss and their daughter wasn't awake so she wasn't chaperoning them.

"Do you have to?" Joss asked, wanting to prolong his stay. They had only two hours alone this entire cruise and she just needed a few minutes with him. "Can't you stay for a few minutes to talk?"

John stared at Joss. He saw something swimming in her eyes, though he was unsure of what it was. "Sure," he agreed quietly.

Joss knew it was playing with fire as she motioned at the bedroom but she didn't care. "We can talk in there, it will be quiet," she suggested.

"Joss I don't think that's a very good idea," he murmured.

"Why not?"

"You know why not," he countered gruffly.

Joss smiled as she felt a sense of déjà vu. "I remember a time in the past where we had a similar conversation," she purred seductively. John had been hesitant to come to her place for dinner because they'd end up in bed together and they had.

"And look how it ended."

"Amazingly," Joss supplied and John chuckled. "Please, I want to talk and I don't want to have to whisper the entire time," she pleaded.

He exhaled as he relented and followed her into the bedroom and she closed the door but left it slightly ajar. She turned and sat on the edge of the bed while John stayed near the door. She cocked a brow but didn't comment.

"Joss, can I ask you something?"

She looked at him and nodded, "You said Harold, Grace, and Leila to Maddie. How do you know them?" he wondered.

She had, hadn't she?—this wasn't the way she wanted him to find out that she knew his friends but then it was par for course for how things went on this cruise. "I met Grace while walking Maddie through Central Park when she was a baby and it just turned into friendship. I met Harold later and Maddie and Leila became inseparable," she explained.

John shook his head. "Leila always talked about a Maddie and Grace said it was her best friend's daughter," he murmured.

Joss smiled softly. "I love Grace and Harold, they are wonderful people,"she murmured.

John nodded. "They are," he agreed.

Joss sighed. The jig was up; she may as well let the cat out of the bag. "Harold and Grace are the friends that got me this cruise for my birthday," she said and John stared at her. "They knew, John. I told Grace about you and our first meeting and she told Harold off-handedly and apparently he recognized the story about Jessica. They put two and two together."

"And set us up to meet on this cruise," John finished.

"Yea. Harold didn't mean to make it so damn difficult for us. He just wanted additional security for Selma. He wanted someone he trusted to be beside Selma's suite," she said and he shook his head. "I thought you'd be more upset with finding out we are mutual friends with meddlers," she teased.

He chuckled softly. "If this was any other day; maybe I would have because they could have just told me about what they suspected. But I can't be entirely too upset. They gave me a chance to find you and I have Maddie now," he admitted.

"When did you meet Harold?"

"A long time ago, I was in the Army and we were polar opposites; he's a bookworm and a businessman. I prefer having my nose outside and not in some book and prefer doing something with my hands than sit in an office." John said with a laugh. "Though he's done well with sitting in an office; now he can own about a hundred offices if he wanted too."

Joss's eyes fell to his hands and shivered. "You are really good with your hands," she agreed.

He cleared his throat as the air between them shifted. "Long story short; we just became best friends. Harold is like an older brother to me."

"We're you close to Nathan?"

"Not really. Nathan was a friend but nothing like Harold and I. Nathan's death hit Harold hard because he had been in the car too."

Joss nodded. "Survivor's guilt."

"Yea, without Grace I don't think Harold would be around still," John confessed. "She's his anchor. She pushes him when she needs too. Hell, she pushes me when she thinks I need nudging," he said with a laugh but Joss also heard respect in his voice.

"It's so evident how much they love each other," Joss agreed.

"Now with Leila their family is complete."

Joss stood up and he took an involuntary step back. "Really, can't trust being near me?" she asked innocently, debating on whether or not she should take another step forward just to see what John would do.

"No," he agreed readily. "Joss, I haven't been with a woman in a while and after last night…"

"How long?" she cut him off.

"If you're asking me if I've been celibate since our one night, no," he said as he shifted awkwardly not really wanting to bring up his two ill-fated affairs. Zoe and Iris were not his better ideas.

"John I doubted you'd be celibate for this long even if I was," she said softly and he relaxed. "How many were there?" she asked and he tensed up again.

"Two."

"Did they mean anything to you?" Joss asked.

"No, they were just one night stands."

Joss cocked a brow up. "Weren't we just a one night stand?" she asked.

John looked at her sharply and she simply raised her brows up challengingly. He shook his head. "You're different."

"Did you know that I was different when you bedded those two women?"

John stared at her. "Yes. But I wasn't ready to accept what you meant to me then," he answered honestly. "Zoe and Iris offered me an escape from the confusing feelings I had for you. I thought I could work you out of my system if I slept with them but it didn't work in either case because you weren't just in my system, somehow, in that one night, you managed to work your way into my heart, Joss."

Joss closed the small gap between them and kissed him. How could she not after that admission? He moaned as his arms wrapped around her and she sighed as she gladly handed over control of the kiss to him as she let her fingers play with the fine hair at his nape. The gentle kiss slowly spiraled out of control as John's mouth was hard on hers, tongue delving deep into her mouth and his hands were getting adventurous.

Joss hummed in harmony as his hands cupped her butt, drawing her against him more firmly as the kiss continued leaving her breathless and wanting more. She grew restless as her body rubbed up against his body, feeling the growing evidence of his arousal pressed firmly against her belly. She broke the kiss to kiss the rapidly beating pulse in his neck; glad to know he had a strong reaction to her too. She slid her hands down and grabbed fistfuls of his tank top, wanting his skin against hers.

He groaned as he looked up at the ceiling, trying to rein himself in. "We need to stop, Joss," he said, trying to collect his sanity but it was so damn difficult because Joss said nothing as she nibbled at his neck with fists tight in his tank. John's hands rested on her elbows. "I need to leave." he muttered trying to free himself of the sexual lust clouding his brain. He had to get to his stateroom and work, not stay here with Joss and make love to her.

Joss leaned back to stare into his eyes that were dark with desire. "Then leave, I'm not stopping you." She slid a hand between them and cupped him through his swim trunks before tracing the long rigid length being smothered in his swim trunks. Joss loved the firmness of his erection and wanted to let this bad boy out to play. She smiled seductively as she teased him through his trunks, "But I'm also not helping you either."

He kissed her savagely as he backed her up towards the bed unable to ignore her touch. It was too much. Last night and then this morning and afternoon with Joss running her hands all over him on the beach, being so close to her while in nothing but a bikini had worn out his frayed control. Now with her touching him in such a way, it snapped completely.

His hands grabbed desperately at the ties of her bikini and undid the top behind her back and then at her neck and the top fell to the floor without a care from either one of them.

Joss could cry with sheer want as John's hands were cupping her breasts, thumbs strumming her nipples as they hardened from his soft touch that ached with the need of his wonderful mouth. She pulled him on top of her on the bed as she never wanted the kiss to end.

But it ended when John pulled free to bury his mouth in her neck as their hips ground together and she gasped in ecstasy. His erection was pressing against her intimately, rubbing sensually against her but it wasn't enough. It wouldn't be enough until there weren't any clothes in their way and he was buried deep inside her again.

"John, less clothes…" she begged as her hips undulated under him, loving and hating that they were so close and yet not touching the way she desperately needed too.

John sat back on his knees staring down at her as his hands went for her bottoms as he craved her before reality struck him and his hands stopped from undoing the bottoms. Donnelly and Shaw were waiting for him at the stateroom and here he was about to have sex with Joss while their daughter slept on the couch, no telling for how long, and like twenty feet away.

"I have to go." he said raggedly.

"What?" Joss asked feeling like he had singed her from inside out. She was so damn wet and achy, pretty sure if John breathed on her that she'd come out of her mind. But instead he was pumping the brakes.

John kissed her deeply, making a sound of regret before climbing off her and off the bed. "I'm sorry Joss; I have to go. I want you so much but I can't," he whispered avoiding eye contact as she sat up. He turned and hurried out of the bedroom. If he didn't leave now he wasn't going to be able to and if anything happened to Selma Gordon-Wixom because he was being selfish, he would never forgive himself.

Joss flopped back onto the bed when he was out of the bedroom in a flash and after a moment she heard the door to her suite open and shut. She wished she could hate his sense of duty since it was getting in the way of reacquainting their bodies but couldn't. He was a good man with integrity; she loved that he was so honorable; her body didn't, but she did.

She looked up at the ceiling with her fingers playing with her breasts. "Four more days, I can make it four more days," she told herself, not sure if she could or not. John was testing her willpower. But she knew she wasn't the only one suffering. John was too. And with that thought she smiled as she forced herself up and off the bed to change. Since she had some time to kill before she woke up Maddie from her small nap, she could call her son and see what he was up too.

* * *

John entered their stateroom and saw Shaw sitting with her legs kicked back on the couch, but before she could open her mouth. He spoke first, "No jokes and no comments, Shaw, I'm not in the mood for either," he commanded gruffly as he stormed past her.

Shaw smirked. "Man, do you need to get laid. You're so grouchy. What? You and your hand isn't enough?" she teased, ignoring his order for no jokes.

John turned to look at her. "Where's Donnelly?" he asked.

"Left. The crybaby was whining about his feet hurting and I was sick of listening to his complaining. He'll be back later to watch the Wixoms room for us while we hit the casino with the them," Shaw explained as she climbed to her feet. "And since I've bailed you out a few times; I think I earned the right to go hit some restaurants. Since the bureau is picking up the tab there is steak with my name on it somewhere."

"Yea, go." John agreed, waving her off as he sat down on the couch and saw the suite empty on the monitor.

Shaw smirked. "Have fun watching an empty room," she muttered before whirling around and heading for the door quickly.

He shook his head as he reached for his phone he had left on the table when he went out to the beach with Joss and Maddie. John quickly found Finch's name and tapped it, putting the phone to his ear as he watched the computer screen.

"Hello, John," Finch greeted the moment he answered. "Is Selma alright?"

"Selma is fine," he reassured his overly concerned friend. "How's everything there?—how's Grace and Leila?"

"They are fine. Actually mother and daughter are out walking Bear," Harold said warmly. "So is this a social or a business call, John?"

John leaned back eyes still watchful of the screen in front of him. "It's a little of both. So Harold, were you ever going to tell me that you and your wonderful wife set me up?"

"Pardon?"

"Joss told me everything," John admitted.

"So you and Jocelyn have been talking?"

John rolled his eyes at the smug tone. "You know we have. Joss told me that you placed her in the suite next door to Selma for additional protection."

"Yes, but my intention was to have someone I knew beside Selma. I would never knowingly put Maddie and Jocelyn in danger," Harold said quickly, wanting to reassure his friend.

"I know Harold, relax," John said. "But, Harold, can you explain something to me?" he asked. There was something fishy going on with this case and John just couldn't pinpoint what was unsettling him.

"Sure, John."

"You said you and Richard talked about my credentials after he wanted security for Selma, right?"

"Yes that's correct, John," Harold agreed.

"Was Nigel in on that conversation?"

"No, not with me."

John nodded. "Well Nigel knows. And you weren't in on the meeting between Control and Selma's father?"

"No. I never met your superior before, John. All I did was tell Richard your credentials and I did so with the knowledge that he'd choose you because I insisted you were one of the best," Harold murmured. "Why do you ask?"

"Something's off Finch. Everyone knows but Selma, the one that we are trying to protect. What benefit is there with Selma being kept in the dark about additional security on her honeymoon?" he wondered.

Harold was quiet a moment. "I'm not sure. Richard said he didn't want to disrupt Selma's honeymoon with security following her around."

John nodded as he leaned back. "Thanks Finch; I gotta go," he said softly.

"Sure. I'll talk to you when you have some downtime," Harold agreed.

John smiled as they hung up. He felt bad for ending the call early. He knew Finch wanted to talk some more and he would have to make it a point to go and see his friends and goddaughter when he could but he had a bad feeling creep up into him about this case. And Richard was Harold's friend. He didn't want to call in question Richard's sincerity to Harold. There was something about this situation that sat wrong with him. And maybe if he could solve this case quickly than he could spend what was left of this cruise with Joss and Maddie. He could make love to Joss again and again, wake up and see his daughter bright and early. Be with them.

He tapped Donnelly's name and the man answered slowly. "Hey Reese, what's up?—please nothing that requires too much walking around because I just sat down to relax for a little while."

"Nothing that strenuous, Donnelly but I was hoping you could call your partner and have her run a fine tooth comb through Richard Gordon, especially his finances," John said as he kept a close eye on the computer screen. Ever since that woman broke in nothing had happened since.

Donnelly gave a noticeable pause. "Richard Gordon? As in Selma's father and the Senator that is good friends with our superior…that Richard Gordon?"

"Yes."

"Are you trying to get on Ma'am's bad side?"

"I'm already on her bad side," he muttered.

"True, you got saddled with Shaw as a partner."

"You see her as a hindrance but I don't. Shaw's a good friend and a good partner," he said sincerely. "But there is something about this case that just doesn't sit right with me and I want to know what it is," he admitted.

"And you think it has to deal with Richard Gordon?" Donnelly asked disbelievingly. Reese had good instincts but this one…he wasn't sure about.

"I think he wanted his daughter in the dark for some reason and I'm naturally suspicious," John said.

"Not everyone does things with malicious intent, John; perhaps he truly wanted his daughter in the dark so she could enjoy her honeymoon without any worries," Donnelly commented.

John sat forward. "But that's just it, Donnelly. She has worries. Selma admitted to Shaw the other day that she is scared over the death threats and has been looking over her shoulder. And that she only feels safe when she's with Nigel and hates that she has to live that way but she won't stop being an activist," John explained. "I think there is another reason why her father wanted her in the dark and I want to know what that reason is."

"But to go after his own daughter?—would he do that and what would he profit from doing so?"

"I'm not sure of anything right now, that's where Root comes in," John stated.

"Alright, I'll call her right now."

"Thanks."

"No problemo, Reese," Donnelly said as they hung up. John leaned back and watched the computer screen deep in thought, grateful for some distraction from his intense need of Joss.

* * *

AN: John and Joss will manage to find some 'alone' time soon-ish because if they don't I'm afraid I won't have characters left. They may melt into a puddle of nothingness unless I let them burn off some steam eventually, especially John ;D Next chapter:

 **Ch 17: Detective Carter**

Yes, that's the title I'm going with. Thanks for reading!


	18. Ch 17: Detective Carter

John and Shaw arrived at the Fortunes Casino. He had told Shaw about his suspicions and once they got in there they were going to divide and conquer the Wixoms; Shaw was going to lure Selma alone while he spoke with Nigel to find out what he could. Donnelly was at the stateroom watching the Wixoms room for them and promised the moment Root found out something for them that he'd let them know.

John glanced at Shaw as they waited to enter the casino. Now was better than later to tell Shaw something that he had been thinking about. "Shaw, we've been partners and friends for a while, so I feel you deserve to know that when we get back to D.C. I'm asking for a transfer to the New York offices," he said bluntly. Shaw needed to know, deserved to know before anyone else did. She was a good friend and best damn partner he ever had.

She looked at him in surprise. "Why?" she demanded.

"Why?—because Joss and Maddie live there and I want to be near them, that's why, Shaw," he explained as gently as he could.

Shaw thought quickly. "Well why can't she move to D.C.?"

"She has a life in New York, Shaw."

Shaw didn't care. "And you have one in D.C." she pointed out. "Why do you have to drop yours for hers?" she snapped.

"Because wouldn't it be easier for me to move to New York then uproot Joss and my daughter?"

"No!" she said acting like a petulant child.

"Yes it is and you know it. You just don't want me to because you don't want a new partner," he continued gently.

Shaw glared at him. "I don't want a new partner! Reese, I hate everyone but you."

"I know and at one time you hated me."

"That was different. I didn't know you."

"And you don't know anyone else because you don't give anyone a real chance," he murmured. Shaw felt desperate. Reese didn't get it, he was the only friend she ever had and she didn't want to lose him. "Shaw, we'll always be friends; a transfer won't chance that," he said softly, knowing the real reason she was resistant to this.

"But you'll be in a different fucking state!"

"New York is not that far away from D.C.," he reassured her.

Shaw looked ready to say more but stopped short as they entered the casino and were greeted by the waiting Wixoms. He was glad because he was sure Shaw was close to exploding. But he needed Shaw to know his plans so she had some time to digest them.

"Hey guys," Selma greeted as she hugged Shaw.

Shaw was ready to shoot someone and wouldn't mind shooting these two for getting in the way of her convincing Reese to stay in D.C. instead of transferring to New York. But she doubted it would work. If Reese's mind was made up then usually it was made up. And as of right now Reese thought it was better if he moved to New York than uprooting Carter and his kid. Her best bet at getting Reese to stay in D.C. was convincing Carter to move her and the little ankle biter to the nation's capital.

"Hi Selma, Nigel," John greeted since it seemed Shaw wasn't in the mood. He was glad to see that Selma wasn't blushing this time around.

They slowly walked together talking about Cozumel and their plans for tomorrow if they were going out to port for George Town, Grand Cayman. John hemmed and hawed as he wasn't sure what their plans would be. He wasn't sure if Joss and Maddie were going to leave the ship tomorrow or not.

Shaw shrugged speaking up for the first time since he laid the whammy on her about asking for a transfer, "We're not sure yet. We could text you if we decide to go ashore," she offered shortly.

"Sounds good; Nigel and I want to visit the town of Hell! It should be interesting and fun," Selma said with a large smile.

Shaw made a sound, "I'm already in Hell." she muttered under her breath and John bumped her shoulder in agreement, although he suspected his problem was much different from Shaw's.

They followed the Wixoms over to the Roulette table. John eyed Nigel with a firm look and motioned with his chin towards the bar where he first attempted to make contact with the man.

He nodded and rubbed Selma's arm, "Honey, I'm going to go get us our drinks," Nigel said with a kiss to her temple.

Selma smiled and nodded. "Surprise me, darling."

John and Shaw shared a look. "Yea, surprise me too, sweet-cheeks!" Shaw said.

John sighed as he turned and walked aside Nigel. "You're partner is different," Nigel said quietly with laughter lacing his voice.

"Shaw's a character, but, proficient at her job," he murmured in praise.

"You two work together well."

John smiled. "Thanks. Can you please explain to me why your wife is not allowed to know that Shaw and I are here to protect her?"

"I wish I could John, I told Richard that Selma should know but he didn't want to hear it," Nigel said as they approached the bar slowly.

John watched the man's profile trying to get a read on him and so far from what he could see and hear in the man's voice there was nothing but sincerity. Nigel sincerely wished Selma could know but wasn't going to overstep his new father-in-law's wishes.

"Do Richard and Selma have a good relationship?" John asked as casually as he could. But as Nigel came to an abrupt stop, it wasn't casual enough.

"You're not suggesting that Richard would go after his own daughter? No, I don't believe it. And there is no reason for it, John. Richard loves Selma with all his heart," Nigel said firmly.

John nodded. "I'm not suggesting anything Nigel. But I have seen it time and time again; I'm trying to find out who could be a possible threat to your wife, if there is any," he said simply.

"What do you mean?"

"Death threats can be nothing but hot air, Nigel," John explained.

Nigel nodded in agreement. "Yea, I know. I just think Richard is being overprotective of Selma. She's his only child."

They ceased their conversation to order their drinks before resuming it after they were made and each respectively grabbed two. "So you feel that Shaw and I are wasting our time here?" John asked.

"I do."

John didn't want to tell the man that a mystery woman had entered their suite after drugging a female room steward. He didn't want to worry the man; clearly he loved his wife. They let the conversation fully drop as they came back to Selma and Shaw, who was apparently winning because Shaw had blood lust in her eyes. He sighed; they weren't leaving the Roulette table anytime soon.

* * *

Joss smiled as Maddie ran to the table inside the Fun Factory room and mommy was all but forgotten once more. Maddie had awakened after her nap; immediately searching for daddy and the waterworks came once she learned daddy had left for work. That was until mommy promised that he would call her later. She would have to text John to do so because that had been the only way she could get Maddie to stop crying.

But with Maddie at the Fun Factory and John with the Wixoms it meant for one boring evening for her. She replayed things earlier before John fled and then last night with their conversation, their kiss, and John's electric touch. She shivered from the memory as she had climaxed so easily. It wasn't enough then, still wasn't now. And her body hummed with intense need to finally be one with him again.

She sighed as she stabbed her pointer finger into the button for the elevator. May as well head back to her suite and head out to the veranda and slide into the whirlpool. She had debated on going to the spa and get a massage but nixed the idea. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts just in case they took a turn that left her in need of release. It would be embarrassing if she got aroused from thoughts of John while having a massage.

Joss exited the elevator and saw a woman that she didn't recognize swiping a sea-pass to get into the Wixoms room. She definitely wasn't wearing the uniform that Donnelly and the other butlers that serviced their floor wore. Joss went on high alert with knowing that they were being targeted. She slid her flip-flops off her feet and moved quick and silently forward and wedged her hand between the door and doorframe after the creepy woman entered.

She pushed the door open and caught sight of the woman thanks to the light from the hallway behind her and stepped fully inside.

Joss moved forward and tapped the woman's back and the shorter woman let out a sound of fright; as she turned around Joss punched her and the woman crumpled to the ground unconscious. "Well she's definitely not a professional," she murmured to herself as she shook her hand to free it from the stinging in her knuckles, before turning around and flipping the light switch on.

Most hired assassins would have had more of a plan than scream in fright and then take a hit. If she knew the FBI as well as she thought she did that meant they had gotten some listening device inside this room and with John and Shaw with the Wixoms that left Donnelly to the cavalry. Joss checked her for any weapons but found none, before she eyed the woman's unconscious form kind of wishing she had her cuffs with her. Joss sat down at the couch as she eyed the room. It looked much like hers.

Joss went on alert as she heard the lock's mechanism go and relaxed when it was Donnelly entering and not some accomplice. "Caught her sneaking in; I took her by surprise and laid her out." Joss said succinctly as she climbed to her feet.

"I know, I saw and heard. What a high pitch scream she has, definitely not a professional," Donnelly said what she had been thinking while he pulled the woman's hands back and cuffed her. Donnelly patted down the woman searching for weapons much like she had before he straightened and smiled. "You have some kind of wicked hook."

She shrugged. "I'm Homicide Detective Joss Carter from the 8th precinct in New York and have downed a guy or two in my hay-day." she admitted humbly.

Donnelly's smile widened, "A detective huh, makes even more sense." he murmured and she was sure he wanted to say more, and she'd bet her pension it had to deal with John, but was refraining because he thought she didn't know the truth. "I'll have to alert personnel." he said getting back to business.

Joss cocked a brow. So he was going to still try to make her buy this load of bull? "So do all butlers carry cuffs with them or just you?" she asked wryly. Not to mention the fact that he claimed he had seen and heard everything which, how could he unless the room was bugged?

Donnelly's smile faltered as he realized his blunder. "Er…well…uh…." he stammered.

Joss waved him off. "I know Donnelly. I know you're FBI because John told me the truth. But if you tell his superior that; I'll tell them that you blew your own cover," Joss said quickly.

Donnelly's eyes widened. "Reese told you?" he repeated in surprise. That didn't sound like something Reese would do and he wondered why he chose to do so on this mission. And he was a stickler for the rules but he liked John and wasn't going to get him in trouble with Ma'am.

Joss crossed her arms across her chest. "Yes, because John's the father to my daughter," she announced.

"WHAT?!" he cried incredulous. Joss lifted her chin, not needing to dignify him with an answer. But it became unnecessary since the woman groaned as she came to. Donnelly turned his focus on the woman as he helped her up and pushed her onto the couch. He produced his badge. "I'm FBI Agent Donnelly. I want to know who you are, why you're targeting Selma Gordon-Wixom, and who you are working for?" he said sternly.

"I-I-I'm not working for anyone. Why is the FBI involved?" she cried as tears welled up. "This is all Selma's fault!"

"You are sending death threats to Mrs. Wixom…" he started but was interrupted by the woman.

"Don't call her that!"

Joss eyed the woman and frowned. "She's not your threat Donnelly," Joss said instantly.

"What?—she was caught a day or so ago sneaking into their room, and this is the second time," Donnelly pointed out. He had patted her down for weapons and didn't find one but that didn't mean that she wouldn't come back for a third time and do something sinister.

"Regardless, she didn't send death threats to Selma. And she's not a cold blooded killer," Joss said easily. She pointed to the woman. "She's stalking Nigel Wixom."

"I'm not stalking Nigel, Nigel and I are in love. He married that shrew because she tricked him into it!" the woman spat. "I was trying to come and find Nigel alone and convince him that he belongs with me. I followed him on his honeymoon to prove to him that I'd do anything for him and that we belong together."

Donnelly frowned. "Seriously, a stalker?" he said with dismay. He sighed in disgust. "You drugged a woman to get in here the first time."

The woman worried her lip, "Yes, I didn't know how else to get in here because I thought Nigel would be in here alone and that lady was just...there, with access. I saw her drinking from a bottled water and saw my opportunity to get into his suite, so I slipped some pills into her water," the woman admitted as she dropped his gaze.

Joss leaned in close to Donnelly. "Bet they were hers." she whispered. "Okay, so how did you get into this room this time?" Joss asked, addressing the woman and Donnelly eyed her. "What?—sorry, I'm used to interrogating suspects," she muttered.

The woman refused to meet their gazes. "I saw Nigel put the card in his pocket while leaving his room with that shrew earlier. So I followed them from afar and got close enough to pick pocket him as he walked to the casino. But it's with our future in mind!" she said earnestly.

Joss cocked a brow, she pick-pocketed him? She wondered if this woman had a criminal history. "What's your name?" Joss demanded and Donnelly looked at her.

"Detective, I'm a Federal Agent on an undercover mission; I supersede you." Donnelly said pulling rank on her.

Joss rolled her eyes. "Sorry, I forget how prickly the FBI are about their rank. By all means continue," she stated with a sweeping gesture.

Donnelly nodded his head, "What's your name?" he repeated and Joss snorted.

"Melinda."

"Melinda what?" Donnelly questioned.

"Melinda Decker…"

Donnelly nodded. "I'll have my partner check you out. And I'll have Marshals extradite you back to the U.S. where you can be arrested for assault and other charges."

"WHAT?! I didn't assault anyone!" she cried.

Joss spoke before Donnelly did, "The moment you laced that drink with something is an assault. Not to mention you admitted to pick-pocketing Nigel Wixom so that's theft. And since you didn't obtain rights to enter this room guess what that means…" she said and refused to look at Donnelly. She was a cop, damn it.

The girl started to cry.

Donnelly was unmoved. "Stop crying Miss Decker, because you chose to come after Selma and Nigel Wixom." he said sternly but it didn't seem to matter to the woman because she continued sobbing.

Joss and Donnelly moved off to the side, leaving the girl to cry the blues as he tugged out his cell phone and immediately called his partner. "Hey Root; I got another name for you to run for me: a Melinda Decker. I just caught her breaking into the Wixoms' room while they are with Shaw and Reese," he said.

Joss listened in on the one sided conversation and it seemed his partner was telling him something important because he turned around and asked 'are you sure' before nodding and more whispering and then he hung up.

Donnelly turned to look back at her. She cocked a brow up, " _You_ caught her?" she murmured.

He shrugged. "Later I'll need a written statement of what you saw but for now I need to ask you to leave, Joss. There is no telling when the Wixoms head back and I need to escort Miss Decker out. She's not the real threat to Selma," he announced.

Joss nodded, knowing when she is being shooed out. "Okay, call me when you need my help again." Joss teased with a wink, which had Donnelly chuckling softly, before she turned around and exited the room, taking a pit stop to get her flip flops.

Joss merrily headed for her door and swiped it open, pushing in and flicking the light switch on. She couldn't wait to tell John.

* * *

AN: BOOM Detective Carter is in the house. I just couldn't let John, Shaw, and Donnelly have all the fun. Next chapter:

 **Ch 18: I Got A Theory**

Thanks for reading!


	19. Ch 18: I Got a Theory

John was up and out of bed early for once. Shaw was still on the couch, sprawled out on her back with mouth open and snoring. He shook his head as he quickly entered the bathroom to get a shower in before she woke up. But it didn't matter because by the time he was finished in the shower, shaved, and changed; Shaw was still out cold and still snoring. But they hadn't gotten to go to sleep until well in the night because of the conference call with Control. Donnelly had to blow his cover with cruise personnel so he could escort Melinda Decker with the help of the JMU, Joint Marine Unit, to the Cayman Islands last night, since they were in their jurisdiction with the cruise ship that close to the Cayman Islands. Decker would stay a night in jail with the local police until the U.S. Marshals arrive to extradite her back to the United States.

He smiled as he thought about Joss. Donnelly was impressed and also a little scared of her, apparently she threatened him, which made Shaw like Joss even more and it made him laugh. Joss and Maddie had come by the stateroom after he called and talked to both of them before inviting them to the stateroom so Joss could give her written statement. John had sat with Maddie while Shaw and Donnelly did the paperwork. Maddie hadn't wanted to leave and told Mr. Don that John was her daddy, that seemed to pique the man's interest but he didn't outright ask in front of the child. Thank God. But the man waited until the moment they were gone to ask and John had to explain with running commentary from Shaw that served to amuse Donnelly and herself, and anger him.

John eyed Shaw, who was still out cold, with a smirk. "Payback's a bitch," he muttered to himself as he walked, fully dressed and ready, to the room's phone to call room service. He ordered their breakfast special with orange juice and coffee, which he was reassured it would be prompt for his wife. John shook his head. Shaw called way too damn much for room service he thought as he hung up and checked his cell phone for calls.

He quietly looked through his phone and smiled at the text he received from Harold the night before; it was a picture of Grace, Leila, and Harold enjoying an evening at Chuck E Cheese. John texted back before he heard a sound at the door. He quickly got to his feet and hurried to the door, not needing Shaw to awaken at the sound and pull a gun on the man. John opened the door.

"Hey, it's nice to see you Mr. Jones!" Peter, their usual deliverer, greeted jovially.

"Hey, Pete let me bring it in; the ole' ball and chain isn't awake. She had a long night," he murmured.

The man's face broke out into a male grin. "Alright Mr. J., you get it! Don't mind me saying but your wife is hot!" he said with a laugh before he stepped back and held the door open for him. John kept his body blocking from allowing the man to look inside. But Pete was a good guy, nice fellow that seemed to put up with Shaw's: gimme gimme gimme, every time he delivered room service.

John felt his cheeks flush knowing what the man thought transpired last night. He couldn't wait for the moment when he wouldn't have to pose as Shaw's husband that had to have her at all times of the freaking day. He tipped the man before he wheeled the cart in and the food was hidden underneath a cover and the door slid shut before he locked up again.

John simply wheeled the food near Shaw and removed the cover. He had ordered the breakfast, minus the coffee, for Shaw since it had a large stack of hot pancakes sat there with a mound of scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, some pieces of toast, and loads of bacon. He'd never seen a woman love pancakes so much. But even though he ordered it for Shaw, he also had payback in mind with the breakfast too. He eyed Shaw, a little shocked that her nose hadn't awakened her yet. Maybe he shouldn't be cruel and eat a piece of bacon to wake her up but as the thought came, it fled when he remembered the fact that she poured water on him twice and then goosed him.

He bit into the bacon and her eyes snapped open and sniffed the air. "Bacon," she said groggily.

John shook his head before deciding she deserved a little more punishment for all the water, the goosing, and all the comments about the constant hard on he supposedly had for her. This was his payback. "Mmmm," he moaned for effect. Shaw's head lifted off the pillow and hands were out.

"Gimme bacon!"

John cocked a brow up as he wheeled the cart back so she couldn't grab a piece. "Shaw, are you trying to audition for those dog treats' commercials?" he teased and she cursed him. "Why should I share my breakfast with you?" he wondered mildly as she scrambled up, eyeing the food. He nearly laughed as her dark eyes went pleading.

John sighed, "It's no fun tormenting you when you give the puppy dog eyes. Have at it, I ordered it for you anyway, but the coffee is for me," he muttered as he grabbed the cup of coffee and Shaw greedily pulled the cart towards her.

"You're the best," Shaw said as she stuffed a piece of bacon into her mouth. She looked up at him. "So can I tell you all the reasons why having Carter and Mads move to D.C. is better than you moving to New York?"

"Shaw…"

"One: we are still partners." Shaw said over him as a piece of bacon popped out of her mouth and then she held up two fingers at him. "Two: you're still in D.C. near me so we can hang out like usual. I mean who will stop me from threatening every single guy that tries to come onto me. Or stop me from ordering one too many bottles of rum." Shaw muttered as she grabbed the fork and shoveled eggs onto it. "Or keep me in line because, I swear Reese, if you're not around I will kill someone."

John rolled his eyes. "Shaw, don't be melodramatic; I think you can handle not committing murder by yourself," he commented.

Shaw looked at him thoughtfully, "I don't know, Reese, I was pretty close to killing that guy doing the lifeboat drill," she said and he frowned. Well she had him there because it had led to the worst kiss in his life that he wished was just some horrible nightmare. But it wasn't. Shaw shrugged before she lifted three fingers up, "Reason number three for why you should stay in D.C. is…" she begun but it was his turn to interrupt.

"Let me guess: something related to you," John murmured.

"Nope," Shaw countered as she shook her head.

John cocked a brow in surprise. "Alright, hit me with it: why can't I leave D.C.?" he asked.

"Control isn't going to let you go anywhere," Shaw said.

John sipped his coffee as he contemplating what she said. He knew Control was going to be a bit of a problem, she controlled everything; hence the name she chose to go by, but just because she didn't want him to transfer didn't mean she could actively stop him.

"Control might not like it, Shaw, but she can't stop it," he said and Shaw grunted. "Fine, she can try to stop it but I have an ace up my sleeve."

Shaw furrowed her brows. "What?—you got some dirt on Control?" she asked before sitting forward more. "Tell me!"

"Not blackmail; I'll quit."

Shaw's mouth dropped open. "Quit…as in stop being an agent? Extorting Control to your advantage is better than that. Why the hell would you quit?—you love being an agent."

John nodded. "I do. I want to save people and the ones I can't save: get justice for them. But I love Joss and Maddie more than a career. And if their life is in New York and Control won't let me go than I guess I better look for a new job. I'm sure Harold could find me something," he said. He was more than sure that Harold could find him something. Finch had connections everywhere.

"You love Carter?—it's been four days Reese!"

John shook his head. "It's been a lot longer than that, Shaw. I've been afraid of what she made me feel in such a short time since our one night together because I told myself that love couldn't happen that quickly, but it can, and it did. I love Joss. I want a life with her and my daughter, Shaw. And if that life has to be in New York and not D.C. then so be it," he said as gently but also as firmly as he could. He knew Shaw was going to need more time to process, which was why he told her up front what he had been thinking about.

"So it's _not_ set in stone," Shaw said.

He exhaled. That was what she heard in his entire impassioned speech….that it wasn't set in stone. "No, it's not set in stone, Shaw, but, it also is the most likely option. Joss and I haven't gotten to talk about what happens after the cruise. We are just enjoying here and now at the moment," he murmured.

"Then I have time to convince you or Carter that it's best that you stay in D.C. and not the other way around."

John shook his head. "I'm asking you as a friend not to go to Joss with this. I'm not telling her my plans until I talk to Control first. I told you because I felt like you deserved to know so you had a chance to process it, don't make me wish I hadn't," he said gruffly. He knew how to get Shaw to comply.

Shaw looked down as she stabbed her fork into her pancake. "Your secret is safe with me," she growled.

John took another sip of his coffee before saying, "Finish eating, we have a long day ahead of us. Thanks to Root coming through for us with finding out that Richard Gordon paid out a large sum of money to Samuel Zenner, who FBI has been tracking for three years now, we need to stay extra close to the Wixoms. Zenner is former military and is selling his skills and services to the highest bidder; he's wanted in at least ten murders in seven states. This is the first time he has resurfaced in six months," he stated getting back to business.

Shaw nodded, grateful for the case now. She wanted to focus her anger at something. "Yea, knowing chatty Selma, she probably told her dickhead father their plans today too."

John eyed Shaw. "Can I run a theory by you about our case, Shaw?" he asked. She looked up and nodded as she cut into her last pancake. "What if we are viewing this case all wrong?"

"We already were. We were led to believe it was death threats and it's really Richard being a piece of shit and wanting to off his daughter. The turd used his daughter's death threats as a smoke screen, played up being the scared daddy routine with getting us placed in this hell hole and voila: he looks squeaky clean in his daughter's death," Shaw stated with a stab of the fork into her pancake. "Bet that bastard has been practicing fake crying at her funeral. Selma might be way too cheerful and nice to be normal but she doesn't deserve to die! Who wants to bet the asshole is corrupt and Selma stepped on his toes and now he's having someone paid to off his own flesh and blood?! Donnelly's partner better come through for us with the search warrant for Gordon's house and offices," Shaw growled.

John nodded. That was a nice theory but his was a little more out of the box. "It _could_ be Richard going after his daughter because of her activism is getting in the way. But I have another theory,"John admitted.

Shaw shrugged. "Hit me with it," Shaw stated as she stuffed half a pancake into her mouth.

"I mean: what if the person we think is the target really isn't," he said.

Shaw furrowed her brows. "You think its Nigel that daddy dearest wants to off…why?" she asked muffled with food.

"What possible gain is there for Richard to kill his daughter?" he answered with another question.

"What possible gain is there for Richard to kill his son-in-law?" Shaw flipped it, playing devil's advocate before taking a gulp of orange juice. Reese's instincts were impeccable, nearly as good as hers. Shaw watched as Reese snatched a piece of bacon off her plate and she made a face "You're so lucky I like you, Reese, or I would have chopped your hand off," she stated, pulling her plate closer to her.

He ate half the bacon, "Well there is plenty of gain for going after Nigel, Shaw. If you don't recall, Nigel Wixom is a billionaire, with a 'B.' He's loaded; he's somewhat young so I bet you that he doesn't have a will. He doesn't have any children so if he dies, the money won't go to an heir. It will go to his widowed wife," he explained before popping the other half of the bacon into his mouth.

Shaw liked this theory. "And Richard is using his daughter's death threats as a smoke screen," she added.

John nodded. "As you said, Richard is putting in a pretty good act, with adding security for his daughter. And then it just so happens that one of those threats were real and the man that wants to harm Selma Gordon-Wixom 'accidentally' shoots and kills her adoring husband instead," he said.

"And no one would ever think that Nigel was the intended target all along because of the death threats to Selma and the fact that Gordon sent us in to protect his daughter," Shaw murmured. "I like it. Just one question though."

"What?"

"Why?" Shaw asked.

"Why what?"

"Why would Richard Gordon want to hire someone to off his new son-in-law to get the money into Selma's hands? It's not like he can touch it; it goes to his daughter not him," Shaw said.

"Or can he?" he questioned and Shaw looked at him perplexed. "Selma clearly loves Nigel with all her heart, right?"

"Disgustingly so," Shaw complained.

"From your own words, Shaw, Selma was crying over thinking I cheated on you with Joss," he said and Shaw nodded.

"Yea; so what, Reese?—she's one of those bleeding hearts' types. She'd probably cry if she killed a spider on accident," Shaw muttered.

"Exactly! Selma has a soft heart that looks like it can be trampled on easily, so if anything happened to her new husband she'd be devastated…."

Shaw smiled widely. "Devastated enough for daddy to take care of everything for his daughter and maybe even put his name on the bank accounts with her, you know, being the caring and loving father he is," Shaw said feeling the groove for this theory. "It's plausible. But then so is mine."

John smiled. "It is," he agreed.

"I guess time will tell who is right. Care to wager?" Shaw asked as she leaned forward.

He cocked a brow up. "You want to make bets on whose theory is right?" he asked incredulously.

"Yea, we'll be there to stop it from happening to either one, so why not?"

"Because it's just in bad taste," John muttered. "And besides you just want to make a bet to try to force me to stay in D.C. So no, I don't care to make a wager," he said, seeing her ploy from a mile away. What did Shaw think: he was born yesterday?

"AHA, you agree with mine!"

"I didn't say that. I'm not placing my future with Joss and Maddie in New York on a bet with just pure conjecture and speculation on my end. Nice try though, Shaw," he conceded.

Shaw cursed. "Damn you and sniffing out my ideas. You're the shit, you know that, Reese." she murmured.

John chuckled as he shook his head. "Shaw, sucking up won't work either, now hurry up and get ready; we need to get close to the Wixoms."

* * *

Joss walked hand in hand with Maddie from the elevator. In the morning, after breakfast, they spent time at the pool playing and swimming. She was actively trying to keep her daughter busy so she wouldn't ask: where's daddy? It worked mostly until she realized John wasn't with them like he had been for the last couple days and Maddie would grow upset and Joss resorted to texting John asking him to Facetime with Maddie just for a few minutes.

Instantly there was a call and Maddie was so happy that daddy was Facetiming with her until the moment he had to go and Maddie was sad once more. Maddie wasn't going to be happy until daddy was attached to their hip it seemed, but she couldn't say she blamed her baby: Maddie finally found daddy and she wanted to spend all the time in the world with him to make up for lost time. Joss had to admit: so did she. She missed John and now having him back but unable to spend much time with him because of the case sucked big time.

"Mommy," Maddie murmured looking up at her so that she could see mommy over the brim of her little sombrero that she couldn't leave the suite without and had to be practically tugged off her head before she went swimming.

Joss sighed. Here it came. "Yes, baby," Joss said, pretending she wasn't aware of the incoming question.

"I want daddy."

Joss exhaled. Well at least it wasn't: where's daddy? "I know, me too, baby-cakes, me too." she murmured as she swung Maddie's arm although her daughter's want was innocent. Hers was far from innocent. "Daddy is our missing piece to our family; me, you, and Taylor is perfect but now with daddy it's complete."

"Yea," Maddie nodded. Joss looked down at her daughter and looked past her sombrero and saw the sad look on her face.

Joss squeezed her daughter's hand. "So baby, daddy's birthday is May 1st which is after what month?" Joss asked and waited for her daughter to answer.

Maddie thought of the answer before she stopped walking entirely, let go of her hand and lifted her little fist up and stopped to count her knuckles. "January, Febbarary…"

"It's FEB-U-AIR-REE," Joss corrected and enunciated for her daughter.

"Feb-ru-ary," Maddie said slowly before moving onto her next knuckle. "March, April, May…" she listed softly in full concentration and then looked up to her, "May comes after April, mommy!" Maddie announced, happy with herself.

Joss grinned and applauded. "Yay, good girl, you remember the trick. Guess what you get tonight for remembering your months…." she led her baby. Positive reinforcements always worked and her baby wasn't allowed many sweets so she wanted to give her daughter a chance to earn one.

Maddie bounced up and down. "Ice cream! Ice cream! Ice cream!" Maddie chanted. Joss laughed. God knows her daughter didn't need the sugar for more energy, but Maddie deserved it. "I want daddy to come too, mommy," Maddie demanded.

She smiled. She was sure she could steal John away for a half hour to have ice cream with them. "He'd be honored to have ice cream with you and I to celebrate the fact that you know your months, sweetheart," she murmured as she grabbed her daughter's hand and proceeded to walk together once more. "But for daddy's birthday I think we should make him something special."

"YES!" Maddie cried with a big smile on her face.

Joss pulled her sea-pass out and opened her door to their suite. She wanted Maddie to relax a little before lunch and then it was off to the Fun Factory for a little while so mommy could get a much needed massage. Maddie ran into the suite and flung herself at the couch before climbing up onto it. Maddie immediately reached for a strawberry.

"Daddy likes strawberries just like you baby, so I was thinking maybe the night before your daddy's birthday that me and you could bake daddy a strawberry cake," Joss said. And for her and John, after Maddie was asleep, perhaps they could have chocolate covered strawberries in bed. Mmm…

Maddie bounced up and down as she nodded, reminding her of the little presence so her mind couldn't go slinking off into memories of their one night. The wine, the chocolate…the amazing out of this world sex that she couldn't wait to experience again and again.

Joss shook herself free of the dirty thoughts running through her mind of Maddie's daddy, focusing on Maddie, "And you know what else he likes?" she asked.

"No. What, mommy?"

"Chocolate." she answered and Maddie giggled. "So we could make him some homemade chocolate candies. Daddy will surely love mommy's and Maddie's chocolates," she said before dropping beside Maddie on the couch.

"What can I get daddy, mommy?"

Joss slid an arm around her daughter's shoulder and tugged her close. "Oh sweetheart, anything you got him he'd love. But your daddy will be toast if you made him something. So how about we make him a homemade card and gift this year?" she suggested. Joss was aiming for John to be a sentimental mess that Maddie and she could hug to bits.

She had a perfect idea but she wasn't going to run it by her sweet-pea until closer to John's birthday. She needed her baby cakes to keep it a secret and there was no way in hell Maddie could do that!

* * *

John, Shaw, Nigel, and Selma all walked George Town for a while. As much as he wanted to spend time with Joss; he was glad she had decided to not go ashore with Maddie and to remain on the ship. He didn't want them anywhere near the Wixoms at the moment. Not with the fact that there was proof of an actual threat to them. He knew Joss could take care of herself but it just didn't matter; she was the mother to his daughter and the woman he loved. Joss said that Maddie wanted to participate in some of the games and crafts that the Fun Factory had running this afternoon and Joss just wanted to get a massage and hang out at a lounge chair near the pool to read.

"I need to hit the little girl's room," Selma admitted after a while. "That last iced tea did me in," she said laughingly.

Shaw's shoulders slumped. "Yea, I need to hit the head too, I guess," Shaw muttered before grabbing Reese's forearm. "You owe me." she growled.

"It's not my fault I'm not a woman," he whispered.

Shaw grumbled as she let Selma lead her away with her arm looped around Shaw's and giddily talked to her. John smiled. Selma was treating Shaw like they were best friends.

But while they were away he saw his chance at cornering Nigel about his concerns. He looked at Nigel as they sat down at a bench while they waited for the ladies to return. If he knew Shaw she would drag her heels long enough to let him have a chance to talk to Nigel.

"While your wife is out of earshot I need to know more then what you told me last night, Nigel," he began and earned the man's gaze. "We didn't get to talk much at the casino."

"I know. Selma has been on edge with these death threats and she doesn't like being alone. She's scared," Nigel said with a sad frown. "I hate that she feels like that."

John nodded. "I know I keep asking the same question but I really need to know when you found out about the fact that we were going to be here to provide additional security," John asked pointedly, because if the target was Selma then he needed to know if Nigel and Richard were in on it together or not.

"No, it is okay; if it helps with the investigation then I'm all for it. Richard called a meeting with your superior and invited me along, but on the stipulation that I keep it from Selma. I went along with it mainly because I wanted to try to dissuade Richard of the notion that we needed additional security. Your superior listened to my input but ultimately sided with Richard. They both told me to keep my mouth shut," Nigel said with a shake of his head. "And, because I didn't want to cause a fight with my new father-in-law, I gave in."

"Do you have any reason to believe Richard Gordon would go after his daughter?" John asked point blank.

Nigel shook his head. "No. Like I said last night, John, Richard loves Selma with all his heart. She's his only child. Sel's mother died when she was a teenager; she's all he has."

"Tell me more about their relationship." John prodded.

"I just told you he's…."

"Nigel, tell me more, please," John cut him off.

Nigel grew agitated but did as he asked. "I don't know; when I first met Selma she was very sheltered. Richard liked to control everything."

"Explain that."

"Richard loves his daughter, but he also controlled her life: every step of the way. Selma told me that he wouldn't let her cut her hair, wouldn't let her choose her own outfits to wear, or anything. Richard did everything, mapped everything out for her," Nigel explained.

John frowned feeling unease grow. "Did she ever rebel?" he asked.

Nigel shook his head. "No. Believe it or not: Selma, before I met her, wasn't even in activism work."

"No?"

"No. She was in college for business: just like her father. Richard wanted it that way and whenever she'd go to help causes she believed in even after school, he'd critique it to let her know that he disapproved. Richard didn't quite understand Selma's desire to save the environment or be the voice of those who didn't have one. He saw it as her wasting her life. I think Richard was hardened. Selma tried to laugh it off but I could see being in college for business was smothering her. It wasn't what she wanted; she was only doing it to make Richard happy," Nigel explained with a sigh.

John nodded. "So what gave Selma the courage to stand up for herself to her father?" he asked, already having the answer.

Nigel laughed. "Yours truly, I met Selma and I fell in love with her the moment I saw her. She just smiled at me and that was it," he murmured lovingly.

"I know the feeling," John muttered.

Nigel faced him directly. "Joss is one beautiful woman. I can see why you fell in love with her so easily; she's got that inner beauty like Selma has. You can see how much of a caring soul Joss is."

He nodded but he needed to get Nigel talking more. He didn't know how much longer Shaw could stall Selma. "So, you helped Selma get out from under her father's thumb?"

"Yes, we were dating for a while but I knew she was my future wife, so I sat her down and encouraged her to follow her dream and her heart, and if it was fighting for those who couldn't, then I wanted her to do what made the most sense to her," Nigel explained,. "At first Selma didn't want to tell her dad that she hated college and she hated business, and wanted to protect the environment and people's rights."

"But you convinced her," John prodded. He didn't know what the hell was wrong with Richard; those things Selma were doing were admirable. John hoped that he would never be like him to Maddie. He wanted Maddie to do whatever made her happy, no matter what.

"Yea, Richard didn't like it but he accepted it eventually. And then I asked Selma to marry me and the rest, you can say, is history."

"How did Richard react to the news of her marrying you?" John questioned.

"Happy, why wouldn't he be?" Nigel asked with a furrow of his brows.

But John immediately changed the subject to baseball as he saw Shaw and Selma approaching. "Hey you guys, what are you two talking about?" Selma asked as she slid onto Nigel's lap. Shaw just stood beside him.

"Baseball," John answered immediately.

Selma laughed. "Oh Nigel, you and your baseball!" Selma said with laughter as she slid off his lap and both men stood so they could continue their walk.

John and Shaw slowed down. "I think there is another reason for why Richard might want Nigel dead and it doesn't have to do with money," he whispered.

"What?"

John made sure the two lovebirds were deep in their own world before looking at Shaw, "Selma," he answered.

* * *

AN: I know everyone loves Maddie, Joss, and John moments but these two chapters are necessary to tidy up the case, so it's rather light on them. But if you can hold out and bare with me until chapter 20 I think you guys will be very happy ;D Next chapter:

 **Ch 19: We're Going to Hell**

*snicker* Thanks for reading!


	20. Ch 19: We're Going to Hell

John and Shaw broke off with Nigel and Selma claiming they didn't want to head to see the town of Hell, preferring to head back to the ship and relax. Shaw had to throw in a comment about seeing Joss, making Selma blush and John want to throttle her. As they proceeded to pretend they were heading for the ship and Nigel and Selma walked away and were going to just walk to the close town of Hell; they circled back and kept distance behind them.

"Okay now that we got rid of them, explain why the hell you think that Richard is going after Nigel because of Selma?—she doesn't look abused and she sure the hell seems to really love the guy," Shaw demanded.

John kept eyes on the Wixoms. "Richard is a control freak. Apparently he controlled Selma's life to the point of probably telling the girl when she could use the restroom and when she couldn't," he explained. Harold hadn't mentioned that, but he wondered if Richard hid this part of his personality from his friend. It wouldn't surprise him if Richard hid the fact that he was controlling, dismissive of what Selma truly wanted because he wanted to play the role of the perfect father. Or did something in Richard snap after his wife died?

"So Richard could want to off her new husband for taking his daughter away?"

"I think Nigel derailed a lot of Richard's plans for his daughter," John admitted. "Nigel said that Richard wanted her to go to school for business and that when they met she was in business school. I bet Richard was trying to groom his daughter into taking over his business and becoming a Senator in her future; to be just like him. But then she met Nigel who gave Selma the courage to leave school and basically tell dad that she was done with business so she could be an environmental and human-rights activist which he didn't approve of."

"Why?—I mean that work is actually something worthwhile. Not many give a shit about lesser fortunate and Selma cares deeply. Selma told me a story while I stalled for time in the bathroom that she literally gave the shirt off her back, or rather jacket off her back, to a homeless pregnant seventeen year old who was freezing; who she then helped get into a government program that could aide her. The teenage girl named her daughter Selma after her," Shaw related. Shaw hated it, but she liked Selma. Selma was a rare breed of person and you don't meet many like her and her own father was either trying to kill her or the man she loved all because she wanted to help people?

"I don't know but we need to keep a close eye on anyone that tries to get near them. The more I hear about Richard the less I like the guy and the more suspicious I become," John murmured as he kept eyes on the Wixoms.

Shaw nodded. "I think you're right: I don't think Selma is the target anymore. It's Nigel. Nigel being a billionaire is just icing on the cake. Selma will be devastated if Nigel is murdered in place of her and she'll go running back to daddy and that's just what he wants. So he can and will manipulate her into doing what he has wanted all along," Shaw snarled. "I wish I wasn't stuck on this stupid island so I could bring Richard Gordon down! Damn it, I'd so shoot that prick or rip his cock off and shove it down his throat and watch him choke on it. No wait. His penis is probably the size of a peanut. No. I'll just shove his head up his ass!"

John's brows lifted as he spared a glance at Shaw who was angry and animated. "Wow. If I didn't know better I'd say you actually like Selma and Nigel," he feigned being shocked. He was glad that Shaw was growing a bit. She was warming up to Joss, Maddie who she clearly liked, and now Selma. Maybe after three plus years of trying to help coach her that not all people suck finally has paid off.

"Nigel I can take or leave. But yea; I like Selma," Shaw agreed quietly. "What the fuck is happening to me?—I'm growing soft," she griped.

John smiled. "No, Shaw. You're growing up." he said softly and Shaw looked at him instinctively but didn't comment.

" _Finally_ ," Donnelly beeped in.

Shaw groaned. "What do you want?" she demanded.

" _Root and a few other agents along with NYPD finished their search of Richard Gordon's home and offices. Gordon freaked as he was brought in for questioning. Root found saved emails on his laptop in his home from Zenner; depicting their plot_ ," Donnelly explained.

John patted Shaw's forearm. "Hold on Donnelly; we might have something happening," he murmured. Shaw looked at the Wixoms who had a good half mile ahead of them as they were leisurely following the two. Nigel was behind Selma as they walked as he had his arms around Selma's midsection. But it was the man that was picking up his pace to get closer to them that had John's eyes. "Rusty-colored hair, about six-four, and two-hundred pounds…" John begun, as he listed attributes of the guy that looked suspicious to him with the way he was hurrying towards the Wixoms.

"Muscular and appears to be in shape; all of which matches the description of Zenner," Shaw agreed.

"I'm not carrying." John admitted as they sped up their pace, still keeping an eye on the man, not wanting to make their presence known yet.

"Neither am I," Shaw complained. "This case sucks so badly. I don't even get to shoot the perp."

" _I'm on my way_ ," Donnelly added.

"We are nearly to Hell, Donnelly."John supplied as he looked at Shaw and she nodded as they broke apart and began sprinting forward. John let Shaw get closer to the man that they thought was Zenner. Richard had specifically asked for him; so he had to know what he looked like. But maybe Richard might not know what Shaw looked like or might not know that Control added a third wheel in Donnelly; one could only hope.

Shaw hurried and scanned the guy, not wanting to make a move and oust herself until she knew if he was Zenner or not. Shaw got close and saw the gun he was trying to conceal. Oh, it was go time and she felt adrenaline quicken in her veins, finally something to do!

"Excuse me," Shaw called out sweetly as she bumped into him, pretending to be a stupid vacationer. The man looked at her and his eyes widened in recognition. "Of course Gordon showed you my picture too," she growled as she launched herself onto his back wrapping an arm around his neck trying to put him in a sleeper's hold.

Screams filled the air of the others walking around them. John sighed, of course Shaw would go zero to eighty in a blink of an eye. He ran full speed towards where they were at and Zenner flung Shaw off his back and onto the ground hard before he kicked her in the gut. John's vision tunneled as he was kicking his partner.

Selma and Nigel turned around to look back to see what the commotion was and Selma screamed. Nigel pushed Selma behind him to protect his wife but he didn't need too since Zenner wouldn't take a shot at her, she wasn't the target, and now Zenner had a clear shot at Nigel.

Shaw wanted to gain the upper hand but currently she was curled defensively to protect her face and ribs from the harsh blows. At least he was looking at her and not the Wixoms and she knew Reese would be on that guy any second now.

John reached out just as Zenner raised his gun to aim at Nigel and wrenched the man's wrist backwards and he howled in pain as he dropped the gun. "Don't ever touch my partner!" John snarled as he punched him hard in the temple and the man staggered a bit before throwing his own punch. John dodged the blow, blocked the next and aimed a punch for his solar plexus to steal the man's air.

Screams erupted all over again as the sound of a gun went off and Zenner shouted as he fell to the ground and John looked over to Shaw where she was sitting on her butt on the ground, breathing hard, the gun Zenner dropped in her hand and a pissed off look on her face.

"I was going to aim for his nuts but you were in the way, Reese," Shaw muttered as sirens filled the air. "Donnelly is coming, late to the party as always," she said as she watched Donnelly running towards them.

John pushed Zenner onto his stomach before tugging his arms behind his back and waited for Donnelly to arrive. "Took your sweet time to get here, Donnelly," John joked as Donnelly huffed and puffed a few minutes later.

"It all happened so fast! You two are lucky I was near your location," he complained mildly. "Please tell me you have your badges with you?" he demanded, knowing they were going to have to prove who they were to local authorities.

"It's about the only thing of our real lives we could carry," John murmured as police started arriving.

John turned and helped Shaw to her feet and she winced as her stomach hurt from where that prick kicked her. He was lucky that Reese was standing where he was or Zenner would have been castrated. She turned when she heard her name being cried. Selma was struggling out of Nigel's arms as she ran towards her. Shaw frowned as she headed towards Selma.

"Are you alright, Sam?" Selma cried.

"Fine, Selma; had worse than a few kicks to the ribs," Shaw admitted still wondering if she could somehow get another shot on Zenner without it being considered excessive force.

"What happened?" Selma asked in fear.

"Someone was trying to kill your husband," Shaw answered matter of factly.

"What?" both Nigel and Selma cried in unison before Nigel went on to say, "No, it was Selma they were after."

"Shaw!" John called out and she turned to look and saw police were there and they were arresting Zenner.

She turned to look back at Selma and Nigel. "Why did John just call you Shaw?" Selma asked.

"Because that's my name; I'm not Sameen 'Sam' Jones I'm Sameen Shaw: FBI agent. That man was hired to kill Nigel Wixom by your father. Now excuse me, my partner needs me," Shaw stated as she turned around and left Selma and Nigel to look at her in stunned silence.

* * *

Selma looked shell-shocked as she stared at them with big eyes, and tears looming as she sat at a bench outside the local police station. John, Shaw, and Donnelly sat down with the Wixoms to explain everything in one of the spare rooms the local authorities let them use; from who they were, to the fact that Melinda Decker had broken into their room, to the fact that Richard Gordon confessed that he had hired Samuel Zenner, one of America's Most Wanted, to kill Nigel. Selma ran out of the room crying the moment she heard that her father confessed. Up until that point Selma believed that they had the wrong guy and then all hope that her father wasn't capable of such a thing evaporated. John pushed Shaw to be the one to go after her and when she glared at him he decided to go with her and help her console Selma. Donnelly stayed behind to talk to Nigel more, who looked shocked himself.

"My father hired that man to kill my husband on my honeymoon?" she said, sounding crushed.

Shaw and John nodded. John spoke up, "I'm sorry Selma; even without his confession there is a money trail. Your father paid a large sum of money to Zenner to try to kill your husband. Agents back in New York obtained a search warrant and they raided your father's home and we were able to uncover a series of emails sent back and forth with Zenner from your father, through a private email Gordon had. In his own words he requested the murder of your husband and the money he paid was half and that Zenner would receive the other half once Nigel was dead. Your father informed Zenner that you received death threats and that no one would know that Nigel was the real target."

Shaw added, "Your father played his part perfectly with going to our superior and requesting private security that you wouldn't know was there to 'protect' you. It was all in an effort to make sure that no one would ever dig too deep. He just didn't realize his biggest mistake was letting Nigel be in on the meeting because Nigel came up to Reese; making Reese suspicious as to why you were the only one that wasn't allowed to know about the additional security. And we believe the reason why was so he could 'daddy dearest' to you after the death of your husband."

"Why?—why would he try to kill Nigel? Nigel is a wonderful man who has been nothing short of amazing to me. He loves me as much as I love him, he supports me in everything I do, and someday he'll make a wonderful father to our children. I love Nigel so much, why…" Selma rambled before tears filled her eyes and her voice was choked off.

Shaw frowned. "We don't know the motive behind this yet. But we will," she murmured not wanting to say that it was either money related or because he wanted to get rid of Nigel so he could rule Selma's life again, or a little of both.

"How could he do this? How could he hire a hitman to try to kill the man I love?" Selma buried her face in her hands and cried. Shaw looked at Reese and he motioned at her and she made a face as she sat down beside Selma and touched her back. "How is Nigel ever going to look at me the same?" she sobbed.

Shaw frowned. "What do you have to do with your father?—he's the one that wanted to kill your husband, not you."

"But don't you see: I'm his daughter! How can Nigel trust me not to be like my fath-like Mr. Gordon?" Selma demanded as she lifted her face and the tears flowed freely, her face was twisted in agony, but also angry.

"Easy, because I love you," Nigel said. John, Shaw, and Selma all turned when his voice filtered into the conversation. He looked better now, not so shocked. Nigel sidestepped them as he crouched down near Selma's knees. "Richard is the one that plotted my death, not you."

"But…" Selma tried but couldn't manage more than that.

Nigel shook his head as he smiled lifting a finger to her lips, "No 'buts,' Sel. I love you more than anything in this world. And I know you love me just the same. You're not anything like your father; you're beautiful inside out," Nigel whispered as he rubbed away the tears that fell down her wet cheeks.

Selma cried as she flung her arms around Nigel's neck, crying hard all over again. John heard the steady litany of 'I love you' and 'I'm so sorry' pouring out of her. He motioned at Shaw to give them a moment of privacy and she nodded as she stood up. They huddled together as Nigel held his wife as she sobbed in his neck and was trying to soothe her.

"She's devastated," Shaw muttered.

John nodded in agreement, "Yea, but she'll get through it. She's got Nigel; someone that genuinely loves her and doesn't want to control her," he murmured.

Shaw and John watched as Donnelly exited and walked over to them, glancing at the Wixoms himself. "Is she going to be okay?" Donnelly asked in concern.

"I think so. Selma is stronger than she looks. But it will take time for her to come to terms with the fact that her father hired someone to kill the man she loves," John admitted. "I actually need to call my friend, Harold, and give him the heads up that the man he considered a longtime friend tried to kill Nigel who happens to be Selma's husband, who he adores."

"Wait, Harold, the billionaire, knows Richard and Nigel?" Shaw demanded. "Oh come on, you're the reason we got stuck on this case isn't it?"

John glared at her, but thankfully the conversation was dropped as Nigel led Selma over to them. Nigel kept a firm arm around Selma's hips and she looked a little better since learning what her father did. It seemed Nigel's reassurance that he still loved her had helped.

Nigel held out a hand to shake first John, then Shaw, and finally Donnelly. "I want to thank you three for saving my life and for protecting me and my wife from any possible threat," he said sincerely.

Selma slid from her husband's embrace and walked up to Shaw first and smiled. "I'm so happy to finally know the real you Sam," she whispered before hugging her. "Thank you for protecting him."

"Yea, sure," Shaw agreed awkwardly, not used to gratitude like this. Shaw hugged her before letting her go.

Selma hugged John next and he bent down so she could wrap her arms around his neck. "I'm so sorry, John."

"What for?" he whispered in her ear.

"For thinking bad thoughts about you and Joss for a little while because I thought you were cheating on Sam. When in reality you were just friends and partners, here to protect my husband."

He chuckled as he rubbed her back. "You didn't know and it's okay," he promised as he pulled back.

"Thank you for saving Nigel."

"You don't need to thank us," John countered.

Selma smiled. "Yes I do," she argued before moving onto Donnelly and hugged him much the same as she hugged Shaw and John. After a few minutes of chatting with Donnelly, Selma slid her arms around Nigel's midsection and addressed all three of them. "I'm not letting my father steal my honeymoon from me; so Nigel and I are staying for the last couple days of the cruise. How about dinner tonight?—our treat." Selma suggested.

John and Shaw looked at each other and then at the Wixoms. "Well we aren't sure, we need to call and check in with our superior to see if we are to report back immediately," John explained.

"Actually that's something I wanted to speak to you guys about," Donnelly admitted, which caught Shaw and John's attention. "Control is royally pissed that she got duped, so much so that she isn't making us hop on a plane right this second and come back to D.C.," he murmured.

"Wait, she's giving us the remaining of the cruise off?" Shaw asked in surprise. Control never gave them a real vacation. "She must be embarrassed as fuck that she got duped!"

Donnelly nodded. "And with the local authorities detaining Zenner right now until Control can formally request another extradition and send more U.S. Marshals out; our mission is complete."

Selma smiled shyly. "So that means we can do dinner then?"

John looked at the Wixoms. "How about tomorrow night?—I have somewhere I want to be tonight." he admitted. He could have dinner with Joss and Maddie and not have to pretend that he was just a friend.

Nigel smiled, "With your wife and daughter?"

"Wife?" Donnelly repeated.

Selma's eyes widened with realization. "Joss is your wife and Maddie is your daughter! Oh my god…her eyes! I should have known then that little girl has the most beautiful eyes. Now it makes sense that scorching kiss I saw between you and Joss, you're in love," Selma said and John fidgeted as he saw the sappy smile on Selma's face.

Shaw laughed at Reese's look before she saved face for him. "Go, explore the town of Hell before we leave port; don't let Gordon take that from you guys. You can focus on that dick when you get back to New York."

Selma nodded. "Yes. I'm not letting him steal my honeymoon from me. We wanted to go visit that town called Hell and damn it we're going to do just that," Selma said. Shaw smirked. Good, she didn't like how hurt Selma seemed before; now she was fully on anger at the moment. Nigel and Selma waved at them before turning and walking away hand in hand.

They watched them leave. "They look a lot less tense don't they?" Donnelly murmured.

"Yea," John agreed.

Donnelly looked at Reese. "Wife?"

"Nigel thought Joss is my wife because Maddie is clearly my daughter," John explained.

Shaw piped up, "So what the hell do we do now?"

John smiled. "We get to have three days of real vacation before we head back to D.C. to write our report and sit in a debriefing with Ma'am," he murmured.

Donnelly grinned. "I'm going to head back to my cabin and sit on my ass. Now that the cruise personnel know that I'm a FBI agent and the mission is complete I get to relax for the next three days," he said happily, although he felt bad for Demetrius and Flo since they now had to pick up more of the work. Donnelly turned to walk merrily to head back to the cruise ship.

Shaw looked at Reese as they began walking the way towards the ship themselves. "No more pretending to be married?—that means I can go on the prowl for a sex partner. Thank god, because you were cramping my style, Reese," she said with a snicker.

"And you think having a pretend wife wasn't getting in the way for me and Joss?!" he demanded. It wasn't exactly easy for him either. "And no more room sharing." he said thankfully. Because he didn't think he could sleep on that godforsaken couch anymore.

Shaw smirked. "Yea, you'll be shacking it up with Carter; so that means no more snoring." she muttered.

"Me…snoring, I should have recorded you!" he complained.

They fell into silence as they walked together until they boarded the ship. Shaw hurried for the Foyer Bar while he walked for the elevator. He couldn't wait to tell Joss the good news. But maybe Shaw and he were going to be forced to share the stateroom for the remainder of the cruise. He couldn't just invite himself to stay with Joss. He'd worry about that tonight. Right now he just wanted to go see Joss and Maddie-end of story.

John rode up to Joss's deck floor and the moment the elevator doors opened he hurried out of the elevator and immediately went to her suite number, knowing exactly where it was since it was next door to the Wixoms. He knocked hard on the door.

He waited only a few moments before the door opened and Joss smiled in surprise.

"John what a pleasant—" was all she managed because he cut off the rest as he reached in, grabbed her face and kissed her.

* * *

AN: For the most part the case is closed. A little more details will be sprinkled in as to what was the motive and such. But now let the loving commence ;D Next chapter:

 **Ch 20: No Sleep Tonight**

Yep I'm dusting off all my songs. I was going to choose I Want Your Sex by George Michael but I thought it was a little too obvious then LOL. I think everyone is ready for the next chapter especially poor John and Joss. Thanks for reading!


	21. Ch 20: No Sleep Tonight

"Daaaaaddy!" Maddie squealed and then he heard giggles.

John forced himself to not deepen the kiss since their daughter was in the audience. He pulled back and kissed Joss for a second time before letting her go completely. He bent down and swept his arms open and Maddie ran directly into them.

"Hi sweetheart, I couldn't stay away from you and mommy for long," he promised as he got to his feet, keeping Maddie in his arms as he carried her into the room and then peppered her with kisses as she squealed out laughter and squirmed in his arms with little arms locked around his neck.

He set her on her feet on the couch and she bounced in happiness as she grabbed his shirt. "Daddy play with me and mommy," she begged.

"Maddie…" Joss began warningly because she didn't know how long they got to keep him around, not with the case.

"How about we go swimming at the pool?" John suggested, cutting Joss off.

"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" Maddie agreed exuberantly.

Joss shook her head. "You little fish, you just got out of the pool; let me go grab your swimsuit and you can go change," she agreed with a chuckle as she walked toward the veranda. Maddie was all over John as he sat beside her. Joss hummed in happiness when she heard her daughter's contagious laughter. She grabbed Maddie's wet bathing suit and came in to find John tickling Maddie.

"Maddie, here sweet-pea, go change in the bathroom please," she instructed. John let Maddie go and she hopped off and ran to her for the bathing suit before she dashed to the bathroom to change.

Joss saw only a small window of opportunity to find out what's going on before their daughter was out and pestering them to change into their swimsuits to go swimming. "I'm glad you're here but I figured we wouldn't see you at all today," Joss admitted as she sat down beside him.

"Case is finished."

Joss stilled. "Seriously?—it's all done?" she asked carefully, making sure she heard him right.

He nodded. "We caught the man that was hired to kill Nigel."

"Nigel, not Selma?"

"Long story short: Richard, Selma's father, hired a man to kill Nigel and was using the death threats to his daughter to his advantage. He had us brought in trying to pretend to be the caring father. The man, Zenner, was going to attempt to shoot and kill Nigel until Shaw and I stepped in. He was arrested about an hour or so ago," John recited as he laid a hand on hers.

Joss nodded. "Wow. It was actually a decent plot. Good thing you guys were there to put a stop to him," she murmured as she kissed him lightly but reluctantly pulled back when the speeding hurricane that was their daughter exited the bathroom with a ruckus.

"MOMMY! DADDY! Where are your bathing suits?" Maddie cried as if the world was going to end because they didn't automatically change like her.

Joss looked at Maddie with a smile. "Sorry sweetie-pie, but you were occupying the bathroom and Mommy's bathing suit is wet too," she reminded her.

"As for me, Maddie, we need to stop by my stateroom," he defended himself as he got up and snatched Maddie up and held her to tickle her mercilessly uncaring about the wet suit against his clothes.

Joss stopped from heading to the veranda for her bikini that was sitting out in the sun to dry out. She turned around, smiling as their daughter was happy to be tickled nonstop. "Uh, so wait if the case is over: do you have to go back to the States early?" she asked hesitantly.

John looked at her as he set Maddie on her feet which Maddie was grumpy about. She grabbed John's arm and started to climb on him.

"Control gave us the remainder of the cruise off. She was duped and she doesn't want to do the debriefing right now," he admitted as he reached down and scooped Maddie up so she didn't fall. He lifted her up high and set her on his shoulders. "Happy now Maddie?" he wondered.

"Yes!"

"Okay, so correct me if I'm wrong John: but Nigel and Selma know the truth. The case is complete and finished and you were given the next few days off so that means you are just John on his vacation then," she said reciting the information she had.

He nodded. "Everything you said is right, Joss," he said.

"So that means you could, in theory, stay here the night?" she hedged.

John smiled. "In theory," he agreed.

"Uh-huh," she sounded as she nodded.

"MOMMY I need to go swimming!" Maddie cried when the adults weren't going faster.

Joss looked up at her daughter. "What happened to going to the Fun Factory after lunch?" she pointed out.

"Daddy's here!" Maddie exclaimed.

Joss smiled as she looked at John. "Yes he is."

* * *

They had a wonderful day together. They spent over two hours at the pool until they called it quits, much to the ire of Maddie. The girl could swim all day and night, Joss decided. And while they took a break she had broached the subject of where he was staying at until beating around the bush wasn't working and asked him point blank to stay with them.

John agreed immediately.

After they left the poolside they had gone and got Maddie her ice cream she earned and then headed back to John's stateroom that was empty, thankfully. Joss wasn't in the mood to listen to Shaw's comments. Maddie was beyond excited that daddy was coming to stay in the room with them. Mommy was too, for far different reasons. Maddie had gone so far as to 'help' daddy pack his suitcase by pushing his clothes in regardless if they were folded or not. She did not know the meaning of 'wrinkles.' John thankfully left the other suitcase full of weapons behind.

Joss looked at herself in the mirror. John was sitting with Maddie playing some game with her on her tablet. Joss was positively buzzing with anticipation for tonight. She had no doubt what she and John were going to be doing once Maddie was out like a light. It has been a long time coming for them to reconnect on a physical level. They already reconnected on an emotional level with a promise for more, but her body craved that physical reunion. But just where?—should she let her daughter have the bed and she'd shut the door and they take the couch. Or should she let her daughter sleep on the comfy couch and they take the bed?

She turned and exited the bathroom and found John and Maddie still seated on the couch. Maddie was curled into John with her jammies on. John was dressed relaxed in khaki shorts and a polo shirt with feet bare. This was how she imagined nights would be from now on; them together and on occasion her son too when he was home from college. Taylor was going to be thrilled to finally meet John. She knew the two men would hit it off. Maybe she could let Taylor and John pseudo meet one another when Maddie Skyped with Taylor tomorrow because she doubted their baby wasn't going to want to show off daddy to big brother Taylor.

Joss sat down beside Maddie and John. Maddie looked to her and Joss smiled, seeing how red their daughter's eyes were. She was fighting sleep because daddy was here and she wanted to spend every minute she could squeeze out of the day as she could with him.

"Can you read me a book mommy?" Maddie asked.

Joss nodded as she took her daughter's tablet and looked through the small collection of children's books they had bought and downloaded. She found one of her daughter's favorites: _The Paper Bag Princess._

Joss began reading as Maddie curled up into her and John slid an arm behind the couch as he leaned inward too. She read the entire book even knowing their daughter had fallen asleep at page three but she wanted Maddie to be well and truly asleep. And when she finally finished the last sentence she looked up at John and saw him staring at her intently.

She cleared her throat as she looked at their daughter, "Maddie is out," she murmured.

"Yea, she was gone pretty quickly," he admitted.

"I know. I kept reading just in case she dozed and woke back up and didn't hear me reading. She's done that to me before and then I had to restart," Joss said with a chuckle as she looked down at the tablet and powered it down.

Joss carefully sat forward to rest it on the coffee-table, before helping Maddie lie down more comfortably. She curled up and slept. Well Maddie chose for her, she was sound asleep and wouldn't mind sleeping on the couch.

"I'll be right back," she whispered as she climbed to her feet and hurried into the bedroom and grabbed her daughter's pillow and sheet she had packed. Joss came out with the My Little Pony pillow and sheet. "I brought these with her just in case she got homesick while we were on the cruise," she admitted as John helped lift Maddie's head to settle the pillow under her little head. He spread out the sheet over her.

He straightened and turned to look at Joss as she wrung her hands together. "How about we go on the veranda and talk for a bit," he suggested.

Joss smiled. "Okay," they double checked to make sure the door was locked up tight and the 'Do Not Disturb' sign was hung on the door knob before they made their way to the sliding door to exit out onto the veranda. "It's so nice out here," she murmured.

He nodded his head in agreement. "Very relaxing."

Joss looked up at him as he gazed out into the night's sky. "After we saw each other for the first time that night I saw a shooting star and I made a wish," she admitted.

He shifted his gaze onto her. "Did it come true?" he wondered.

"I wished for you, John. I wished for a real chance with you. So I guess the wish's outcome is still up in the air," she whispered.

John turned and faced her. "No it's not."

"It's not?—so what's the verdict: did my wish come true or not?" she asked breathlessly as she turned to face him too. The breeze kicked up and ruffled her hair and he reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear.

"Back to lawyerese?" he teased.

Joss smiled. "You're stalling," she pointed out softly, wanting a damn answer to her question.

"Guilty as charged," he quipped.

Joss groaned. "You stalled on purpose just to say that, didn't you?" she griped with a soft chuckle and John's smile widened in answer. She was in love with a sexy dork! "Tell me please, John: yes or no, did my wish come true?" she asked, close to begging.

"Yes Joss, it did."

Joss didn't care about the rest. They could figure out the rest later, after the cruise, when reality came back to bite them in the ass because right now all that mattered was that John said yes, they stood a real chance together. All that patient waiting had paid off. She reached for him as he reached for her and they kissed warmly.

John sighed as the rest of what he wanted to say: that he wasn't a dream come true, melted away as he kissed her. She responded to his kiss with equal fervor. He wrapped his arms around her small frame and pulled her closer. He kissed her upper lip, before sucking on her bottom lip between his as her fingers winnowed in his short hair.

He released her delectable plump lip, stopping the teasing kisses as he framed her face with firm hands and kissed her as passionately as he desired. John plundered and drove his tongue deep into the inner recesses of her mouth.

Joss needed more than this. Kisses were nice. Passionate kisses that made her toes curl and pussy quiver in anticipation were amazing. She could feel the wetness pooling in her panties as his mouth made love to hers, she shifted against him restlessly, feeling the growing erection poking against her belly. She knew that bulge was just the beginning and she rubbed up against him harder. Being pressed close to his strong and hard body was even better. But she wanted to be connected in the most intimate way, joined in the best possible way.

"John," she moaned as he finally released her lips to nibble at her jaw, nip her chin, and then her neck. He slid his hand into her hair, fisted and forced better access to her hammering pulse. He scraped his teeth against that spot and she mewed in response. Had this been with anyone else she probably would be embarrassed by the sound she just made, but with John, never.

"Yes," he mumbled against her neck which sent shivers down her spine. His voice was even sexier when it was heavy with desire.

John bit back a moan as her body fit perfectly against his, like she was made just for him. He wanted to rip her clothes off right here and right now, set her on the railing of the veranda and take her. But he wanted to prolong this, at least a little. He waited this long to be inside her, surely he could wait just a little while longer to drive her insane with need, at least he hoped he could wait to make this night for her amazing.

Joss struggled to recall what she was going to say as his hands fell to her butt and pressed her more tightly to him and she could feel the thickness to his erection already. Someone was as ready for more as she was.

"Make love to me John," she whimpered.

John lifted her and spun her around and shoved the swimsuits and towels off the table and sat her on top it. He kissed her hard as he used one hand to fist in her hair to pleasure her mouth as his other hand went to undo her shorts. He undid the button and jerked the zipper down in his haste to get between her legs and slid his hand in and touched her through her wet panties. She moaned into his kiss as he teased her slit through her panties.

Joss wrenched her mouth free so he licked the column of her neck, gliding down to the point of meeting the neckline of her shirt. He traced along the scoop-neck with his tongue, loving the salty silk of her skin. He kissed her breast through her tee and could see the outline of her nipples through her shirt and bra.

"You're wet," he mumbled against her chest as he mouthed her breast, wanting to suck on her nipples until they were raw, pink, and tender. But that would be soon enough.

"John, I need you….please," she hissed in pleasure as he moved his hand up to slide under the elastic of her panties and touch her intimately. She cried out softly as her legs spread a little as he rubbed her clitoris with his fingers.

He paid no attention to her wish, "But not wet enough, I'll hurt you," he purred in her ear as he licked just under her ear and she shuddered in response. John kept up the teasing touch between her legs wanting to heighten her need. "I was worried Joss," he spoke in between little kisses behind her ear.

Joss found thinking almost too much at this point with John's fingers just teasingly touching her and his hand in her hair forcing her head back for his pleasure. She gripped the table beneath her tightly, so tightly that her knuckles surely were turning white.

John relaxed his firm grip in her hair and she leaned her head up and stared into his eyes. John smiled as he ceased his hand's movement between her legs. "Don't you want to know why I was worried?"

She squirmed as she wiggled her butt to get that glorious friction but he pressed down onto her and refused to let her move. "Why?" she bit out when it was clear he wasn't going to do anything until she answered him.

"That I wasn't going to be able to wait to fuck you," he answered promptly. Joss moaned in response. "Good news: I can."

"John that's bad news," she mustered to get out through clenched teeth as his hand still hadn't resumed its torturous touch yet. It rested on her clit, still and unmoving.

John smiled as he let his middle finger slip down and trace her inner lips finding the lovely seam where he wanted to push his dick into. He felt his cock throb painfully in his shorts. He shifted, trying to alleviate the pressure as he pressed hard up against the fabric making it awfully snug in his boxer-briefs. But he wasn't going to let him have that satisfaction until he had pleasured her as he deemed fit, so he could make up for the fact that she had to wait nearly five years for him to come to terms with how he felt, make up for the fact that she had been celibate that long while he hadn't, even though the sex he had was sub-standard.

He toyed with her slick entrance, finding her growing wetter and wetter as he tormented her, before letting just his fingertip dip between her creamy lips and her hips jerked hard against his hold. John smiled as she leaned her head back as she sighed his name like a prayer, and so he slid his middle finger into her further, crooking it so that his knuckle could rub against the spot he knew would make her see stars. He found her G-spot with ease.

"Jesus, John," she gasped, before she bit her lip to snuff out a cry as he moved back and forth rubbing that spot over and over again, lovingly assaulting it, making her blind with need as her back hit the table as she cried out. But not loudly because they didn't want to wake up Maddie, and since they hadn't shut the sliding door all the way, it was a distinct possibility if they grew too loud.

He wished he could see what he was doing to her. Her damn shorts and panties were in the way. John was caught between wanting to stop fondling her for a moment to remove the unwanted barriers to wanting to continue touching her and slowly make her spiral out of control. The desire to see her was more demanding. John slowly slid his hand from under her underwear and removed it fully from her shorts and licked his fingers.

"You always taste so damn good Joss," he moaned in appreciation before smacking his lips teasingly and she sat up and kissed him hungrily. Her tongue was between his lips rubbing against his sensually. But it didn't deter him from getting what he wanted: her clothes out of his way. He kissed her back with matching intensity as he grabbed at the waistband of her shorts and hooked his fingers under the dainty elastic of her panties and tugged down.

John pulled free of the kiss to work the unwanted garments down her slim hips and legs before letting them fall from his grasp.

He stared at her in all her glory. She was a nice rosy pink with high gloss and he smiled as he kicked the chair over so he could sit down between her legs. Joss lifted her head to stare at him as he stared between her legs as if he was debating just how he was going to make her come apart. She was a little afraid that it wasn't even going to take a single touch because she was squirming in desire just from his unblinking focus.

She felt like she was served up on a platter as his main course meal.

John finally lifted his gaze and met hers. His blue eyes blazed with lust. "You're beautiful Joss. I nearly forgot how perfect you are."

"You make me feel beautiful," she whispered gruffly, her body was so tense she felt like she could snap in two.

John looked up and made sure no little eyes were up and awake. Grateful when he didn't see Maddie there wondering why daddy had mommy half naked because stopping now was almost not a possibility.

His focus shifted back on the womanhood bared to him. John reached out and stroked his index finger teasingly against the swollen nub of her desire, tickling the hood and making Joss scratch at the glass table beneath her and her hips lifted to follow his touch.

John drifted his fingers to dance across her inner thigh feeling the muscles there twitch and flex in response. He fingered her entrance, his finger slipping inside without meaning too, and she moaned. "Joss, I want to taste you."

"Yes," she agreed wantonly as his finger teased her swollen flesh.

John grinned as he grabbed her hips and lifted her up, tugged her forward so he could feast on her. He paused as he inhaled her scent, closing his eyes and savoring the sexy smell of her arousal. He made a sound of contentment before he lazily licked her.

Joss moaned as she grabbed the table desperately to anchor herself to something. A gentle breeze blew and tickled her ass but her skin was overheating, her vagina felt like molten lava. John's tongue was like velvet as he continued his teasing licks like she was an ice cream cone. Her head laid over the edge of the small circle tabletop and she reached under her shirt to grab desperately at her own nipples that felt neglected, but wonderfully so, because John's mouth was heaven between her legs.

John closed his lips around her clit and flicked it with his tongue, lavishing it with attention earning a breathy whimper as her hips twisted in his grasp. He hummed against her, loving the soft cry that slipped free from her, knowing the vibrations it caused. He sucked gently and let her grind herself against his mouth until he reluctantly pulled back to lick his lips to stop her from coming too quickly.

He set her hips down after he pressed a soft kiss to her wet and swollen flesh before he stood up. She blinked as she stared up at him, he could see how her body was tight with need. He reached down and scooped her up into his arms and carried her inside. He pressed kisses to her neck as he slid the veranda door closed and locked it.

Joss locked her legs around his waist as he carried her over to the couch as ravenous desire took a backseat for a moment as they both looked down at Maddie, making sure they hadn't awakened her with their activities. When they saw that she was still very much out of it John turned his attention back on her and carried her to the bedroom.

She pulled his head down and kissed him hungrily as they stumbled into the pitch black bedroom closing the door mostly. Joss tasted him as she slid her tongue across his and enjoyed the little quiver that ran through him at the touch. And then she was on her back on the bed with John on top of her, both now grinding into each other as they ended the kiss to moan gently. John's erection was pressed hard against her pelvis and she needed less clothes on.

Joss grabbed the hem of his polo shirt and forced it up. John complied and lifted his arms and helped remove the shirt. She traced his hard contours of his body, loving the little shiver he gave in response. She flicked his nipples but he leaned his upper body back and helped her remove her shirt.

"I'll get rid of my bra and you get rid of those damn shorts," she stated firmly. John smiled as he climbed off her and tugged her up.

"I got a better idea: I do you and you do me," he said suggestively as his hands cupped her breasts and she cut off a moan as his thumbs played with her nipples through her bra.

"Alright," she muttered, she needed him in her so badly she could taste it. But instead of undoing his belt she cupped the large bulge, feeling his penis straining painfully against the harsh confines of his underwear and shorts, hearing him groan as his hips jerked forward into the touch. "This poor guy needs to be freed."

John reached around her and unclasped her bra and tugged it off her, baring her breasts to him. He leaned down and captured a peak in his mouth with single minded focus. He growled as her hand tightened reflectively over his cock. He reached down and shooed her hand away; she happily wrapped her arms around his neck as her back arched in supplication as he undid his belt, button, and zipper (very carefully) and worked his shorts down as he licked her pebbled nipple.

He stepped out of them as he cupped her buttocks and pressed her forward until he lifted her and set her back on the bed releasing her breast for a moment to situate her so she was comfortably resting against the pillows before he climbed on top of her. He settled between her legs and her hands slid down his ribcage and then her hands slid under his boxer-briefs to cup his butt.

He bit, nibbled, and licked his way back to her breast, swirling his tongue around the areola and she dug her nails in his ass as her hips undulated up and he moaned as his throbbing dick rubbed her intimately. She moaned as she struggled to push his underwear down but he didn't help. He was too busy with her breasts at the moment, her perfect and amazing tits. John caught a nipple between his teeth and tugged.

"John," she groaned as her back arched again before he washed his tongue and lovingly erased the pinprick of pain.

John rubbed against her, pressing his throbbing manhood against her, knowing what she wanted but he wasn't in a hurry to stop pleasuring her breasts at the moment as he licked and sucked at them before giving them soft love bites and gentle tugs that had her gasping and twisting, writhing beneath him. He changed the rhythm, sucking her nipples so hard that he knew she was on the precipice between pleasure and pain before pressing a little kiss with just his lips, then pinched them with his fingers and rolled them with his palms.

"Please….John…." she begged as she rocked her hips against his.

He framed her face with his hands. "Joss look at me," he commanded breathlessly, his own need growing to new heights, and he was sure the moment his underwear came off he was going to be in her. Joss finally did and her mouth was swollen and wet from his mouth, her eyes were glazed with need, and her body was soft and pliant. "I love you."

"Oh, John, I love you too," she whispered warmly.

John kissed her tenderly before he deepened it, wanting more as his lips intensified its pressure against hers, coaxing them to part. She moaned in need as she gave him, and her, what he wanted as she opened her mouth wide in open invitation. His smooth tongue swept deep into her mouth, tangling with hers. And he kissed her so fully and lovingly. She couldn't believe this was finally happening; after all their miscues to get where they were.

He pulled free of the kiss sitting back before climbing off the bed. "I have to be inside you now, Joss," he said urgently as he pushed his underwear down and before she could stare at the raw beauty that John's erection was he was back on the bed and on top of her.

Joss sat up, with a hand on his abdomen wanting to reacquaint herself with this perfect fellow as she wrapped a hand around him. He hissed in pleasure. "I've missed this guy," she breathed raggedly in his ear. He pulsated in her hand. He let out a breathy gasp as she let her thumb tweak his tip and she smiled. John was always so responsive to her touch, nearly as much as she was to his.

John let her tease, touch, and stroke him for a little bit before he pushed her hand away. "Enough before I come in your hand," he ordered gruffly and pushed her onto her back.

Joss let him push her back because she needed him inside her more than anything. But later, when they both weren't close to the edge, she was going to reacquaint herself with John's body to her heart's content. He leaned over her as he rested his weight on his knees and left forearm, allowing his hand to fondle her clit which had her squirming in need. His blunt head of his dick was toying with her wet entrance, teasing her at being so close and yet not nearly where she needed him most.

"I don't have any condoms Joss, so please tell me you're on the pill and one that will work," he whimpered as he tortured them both as he pushed just the large round head of his thick erection inside her feeling her wetness coat him. He shuddered as he fought the desire to thrust as far and as deep as he could go into her warm, wet, heat.

He wanted her to think at a time like this with the large head of his dick inside her, teasing her, stretching her, allowing her to anticipate what was to come. She trembled to remember what they were talking about. "I'm on the pill, no recall, and I triple check to make sure," she admitted as she clawed his shoulders, her hips lifting and he groaned as he inched into her further. "No danger of pregnancy this time unless you really do have amazing swimmers and they can be in the less than one percent column."

John thrust into her without warning. She moaned as he filled her deeply, stretching her wide as he slowly slid all the way inside her. She was going to be sore tomorrow but she didn't give a damn tonight.

John gave her only a few seconds to adjust to his enormous size before he was moving. His eyes were on her as he moved inside her, his finger was still teasing her clit, and Joss grabbed his butt again.

"You are amazing, Joss," he whispered, now that he finally was inside her he struggled to remain in control. He didn't want it to end so soon.

Joss lifted to meet his downward thrust wanting to feel him deep inside her, wanting to feel him touch the very center of her. "You are too, John," she managed.

His languid strokes quickened a bit as he moved his hands to her hips, tilting her a bit for a deeper penetration. She met him thrust for thrust, their bodies finding the perfect rhythm. Sliding nearly to the point of completely pulling out, to shove back in on one long thrust, over and over again, harder each time.

Her groans mixed with his, their skin had a thin sheen of sweat as his hips sped up as he thrust into her hard as her pussy drove him crazy as she clenched around him tight as her back arched and he could tell she was close. But then so was he. His cock was straining as his hips bucked and he bowed his head as they moved in perfect sync.

Joss cried out and John muffled it with his mouth as she came, her entire body convulsing under him, her sex contracted around his dick and he groaned into the kiss as her spasms ripped right through her, washing over his cock that was buried deep inside her. Her whole body's nerve endings short circuiting as she felt John stiffen above her before he moaned loudly into the kiss as he followed her over the abyss shooting his warmth deep inside her. They clung together as the orgasmic haze shrouded them for several minutes before finally it faded away and they both collapsed to the bed panting and wholly satisfied.

She smiled up at the ceiling as she breathed raggedly, was being squashed by a hundred and eighty pound man, but felt like she was floating. She ran a hand through his slightly damp hair. "Wow. Five years and you still got it," she murmured in breathless awe.

She felt his rumble of laughter rather than heard it. "Says the woman that just rocked my world," he muttered.

Joss dragged her fingers down his spine, of what she could reach anyway. "Rocked your world huh?—I'll take that," she said happily.

After several moments John finally managed to lift his head a little to look up at her and he pressed a kiss to her lips, before slipping free of her and rolling onto his back. Joss curled up into his side. "No round number two?" she wondered faintly as the afterglow was well underway and her pussy throbbed with renewed need. Now that he was here and in her bed, finally able to make love to her, she didn't want the night to end and she wanted to make love again and again.

"There will be," he assured her as he rubbed her hair. "Give me a chance to catch my breath, Joss. I do need to collect myself before go again," he teased as his breathing steadily slowed over the last couple minutes.

Joss grinned at him. "Well while you collect yourself, I'm going to go say hi to someone I haven't seen in a while," she purred as she kissed her way down his body.

John groaned as he didn't stop her. Who needed sleep anyways?

* * *

AN: Hope that hits the spot for you guys. The next chapter you can thank Elaine for and I went total feels fest too with something I was looking to write and finally found the right chapter. So thank you Elaine for giving me it with requesting that chapter. Next chapter:

 **Ch 21: Picture Perfect  
**

Thanks for reading!


	22. Ch 21: Picture Perfect

Joss slowly wafted to consciousness as she slowly awakened with her body feeling warm and sated; but also with a wonderful ache between her legs that reminded her that last night with John wasn't just a dream but reality. She blinked open her eyes and smiled in serenity as she rolled over to find John still there, sprawled out beside her and hogging the majority of the bed. His hair was rumpled and unkempt from their impromptu shower last night and some fell over his forehead making her fingers itch to touch.

She curled up into him, resting her cheek against his bare chest as he slept. Joss let her fingers drift over his tanned skin, tracing the lines of defined muscle and toy with his naval. She smiled as he made an undiscernible sound but didn't wake up. Oh Joss knew how to wake him up as her fingers dipped just under the elastic of his boxer-briefs but stopped herself shy of letting her hand slide further inside his underwear to find his cock that had brought her so much pleasure. Instead she let him sleep; it was too late in the morning for another round of lovemaking anyway. Their daughter would be up soon and John deserved a little rest since they stayed up for much of the night making love. After their last one…in the shower, she had pulled on her jammies, which made John grin when he saw the lavender dress shirt once more before she collapsed into bed, well fucked and exhausted. John pulled his boxer-briefs back on as he fell into bed with her, tugged her into his arms and they slept soundly.

Joss lifted her head when she heard movement outside of the bedroom door. Crap, the little hurricane was up before her! She sat up just as Maddie came bounding in and she put a finger to her lips just as Maddie was about to blurt something out in her loud four year old way.

"Hold it," Joss whispered as Maddie was close to running for the bed to pounce on John and mommy. "Daddy's not awake yet, baby." She climbed out of bed very carefully to not disturb John, who was being roused a little at the commotion. He seemed to be a light sleeper like her. She hurried over to their daughter, who eyed daddy with a pout but let mommy shoo her out of the room and firmly close the door behind them.

"Daddy is still here," Maddie exclaimed pointing to the bedroom they just left.

Joss smiled. "I know. Daddy is still sleeping though, so you and I have to be quiet," she said sternly and Maddie frowned. "How about we order room service and get breakfast and we can surprise daddy with breakfast in bed."

Maddie's smile lit up again as she liked that idea. Joss put on Despicable Me to keep her baby's attention elsewhere while she called for room service and then got dressed. She ordered their breakfast special for her and John, while she got just a couple pancakes for Maddie.

She entered the bedroom after detouring to the veranda to grab her bikini and sighed happily as John rested on his side and looked so adorable. She resisted the temptation to kiss him awake and forced herself to the dresser. She weaved past his suitcases that lounged on the floor near the dresser and tugged open what she wanted to wear. She already knew Maddie was going to be in her bathing suit and cover again. They docked in Jamaica, but neither she nor John really wanted to leave the ship too early.

Joss found her simple coral colored sleeveless smocked sundress that would be perfect to wear over her bikini. It was something cute and easy to tug off in a moment's notice as her eyes shifted onto the man sleeping in her bed. Definitely being easy to tug off was an added bonus. Joss peeked out of the bedroom door and saw Maddie completely enraptured with the movie, which left mommy a chance to tease her daddy. Joss turned to look at John wickedly as she stepped beside the bed, peering down at him as she efficiently undid the buttons of the shirt. She shrugged it off before holding it over him and dropped it.

He muttered something. "I knew you weren't sleeping deeply," she teased.

John sighed as he inhaled the shirt that smelled like her. He pushed it off his face and eyed her half naked body. "Mmm much better being awakened like this. Come here," he whispered sleepily and reached out sneaking fingers under the elastic of her knit shorts tugging her forward.

Joss slapped his hand softly. "Nope, hands off: Maddie is awake and I need to get dressed," she said with a laugh.

"I vote for you to go naked," he purred as he refused to let go of her shorts as he rolled onto his side, staring at her breasts and reached around her with his other hand to reach up and run a hand over one. It felt so good—to both of them!

She giggled. "I am not a nudist," she said as she tried to tug her shorts from his grip and realized he had an iron-tight grasp on them. She looked up when there was a knock on the door. "Crap, that's room service and I'm not dressed," she muttered as John finally let her go and she immediately tugged her pajama shorts off and hurriedly tied her bikini in place before tugging on her dress. John was staring at her warmly and looking displeased when the dress covered her body. She sashayed out and he groaned as Maddie called for her.

Joss shut the door a little knowing John was going to get dressed and wouldn't want Maddie attaching herself on his hip as he tried to do so. She hurried to the door and threw it open and sighed. Instead of room service with their breakfasts it was Shaw.

"What are you doing here?" Joss griped.

"SAM!" Maddie cried in utter happiness.

Joss stepped back to let the woman in as Shaw smiled as she ruffled Maddie's braids. "Hey pipsqueak,"

"Daddy is sleeping still, so SHHHHHH." Maddie said with a finger to her lips, much like mommy did to her. Joss chuckled at her shushing Shaw.

Shaw turned to look at her and grinned wickedly. "Oh, he's asleep still. I wonder why he's _so_ tired? I bet mommy can wake him up better than what I had to resort too," Shaw said with a leer.

Joss rolled her eyes as she shut the door behind her, grateful for Maddie's presence so she didn't have to listen to the crude comments she was sure Shaw was barely holding back for the sake of Maddie.

Maddie grabbed Shaw's hand and tugged her to the couch. "Watch Despicable Me with me Sam," Maddie ordered. Joss snickered as Shaw didn't say anything as she sat down with the little girl who leaned into the bad tempered agent. She shook her head as Shaw clearly was debating on what to do with her arm before finally settling on resting it on Maddie's shoulders.

Poor Shaw, Maddie was going to have her trained sooner rather than later. Joss's eyes slid to the closed door knowing the moment it was open the movie was going to be forgotten. Shaw actually kind of looked like she was into it. Minutes later the door opened with a dressed John standing in the doorframe. Maddie turned and squealed.

"DADDY, YOU'RE AWAKE!" she announced as if he was asleep forever or something.

He smiled. "Good morning, buttercup," he greeted warmly.

Maddie hopped off the couch and raced over to him, slamming her body into his legs. He reached down and rubbed a hand over her back. She wrapped her arms around his left leg and stood on his bare foot. He shook his head as he straightened and walked with the little hitchhiker on board. She laughed as he walked them over to the couch and sat down awkwardly.

Maddie climbed up onto the couch and nestled herself by his side. "What are we watching?" John wondered.

"Despicable Me, I like the minions, daddy."

"Who are they?" he asked as he eyed the kids' movie.

"The little yellow things, I personally like Gru," Shaw announced. Both John and Joss stared at her. "What?—he's a villain."

John nodded as there was another knock on the door and Joss hurried to answer it, knowing this time it was their breakfasts. This was going to be awkward and fast. She hadn't known Shaw was going to invite herself over and she ordered enough for the three of them. The man entered with the cart and Joss winced as Shaw's eyes immediately slid from the TV and onto the cart. Joss could nearly see the saliva forming in her mouth as her dark eyes leapt to life.

Joss tipped the man and he was off. She closed the door behind him and turned seeing Shaw literally forgot all about the movie now that there was food in the room. "I didn't know you were coming over so I only ordered for three," Joss began.

"It's okay; Reese will give me his," Shaw said as she waved off her concern, climbing to her feet, following Carter as she wheeled the cart towards the table in the back.

"Oh I will, will I?" John questioned as he got to his feet holding Maddie's hand, leading the little girl to the table.

Shaw turned to look at Reese and made sure her eyes got real big. "I hate your puppy dog eyes," he complained and she grinned before crouching down near Maddie.

"I'll teach you the puppy dog eyes, kiddo, they work like a charm," Shaw said with a smirk.

Joss shook her head as she looked at John. "It's okay, we'll share mine," she assured him. They all sat down at the table with John between Maddie and mommy as per stipulation by the little girl and began eating.

Shaw looked up from her plate as she gorged herself on the breakfast. "So what are we doing today?" she asked with her mouth full. 

* * *

They spent two hours on the Dunns River Falls climbing and enjoying the waterfall. Maddie and Shaw wanted to climb again like the children they were, while both Joss and John wanted to squeeze a little more into their day before they had to get back on the ship. So after convincing the two that climbing the waterfall wouldn't be as much fun the second time as the first, they shuttled over to go swim with the dolphins. It was an amazing experience because not only did they get to swim with them, they got to feed them and kiss them. Shaw had been the one demanding info on the dolphins which the guide was very knowledgeable about and explained everything she wanted to know about them. Maddie was in love with the dolphins which surprised Joss how their daughter didn't fear the large marine mammals. Possibly it could be because they were so exceptionally sweet.

After that they had headed to a nearby beach with beautiful white sand so they could go swimming and enjoy what was left of their time at port in the very beautiful Falmouth Jamaica. She couldn't believe their vacation was winding down but at least they would have John to spend these next two days together.

They met up with Donnelly and the Wixoms on the beach, grateful to at least have some alone time together, well alone together including Shaw. Joss, Maddie, and John walked the length of the beach together, leaving the Wixoms and Donnelly to keep Shaw company. They turned around and began walking back the way they came towards where their friends, minus Donnelly, were waiting for them about a mile or two down the shore. Maddie was between her and John holding each one of their hands and they swung her which brought extreme enjoyment from Maddie. They walked past several beach volleyball nets with games fully underway and some were apparently close.

They dropped onto Joss's big red beach towel. "Where's Donnelly?" John asked.

"Wanted to head back to the ship and get some grub before calling the wifey." Shaw answered with a roll of the eyes. "I personally think he's just scared."

"Scared?" Joss wondered.

Selma piped up. "Nigel, Sam, and I want to play some beach volleyball and we asked him to be Sam's partner," she explained.

John laughed. "That's like asking oil and water to be partners: it just doesn't mix."

"I bet he can't even hit the ball over the damn net. Or he'd complain that it's hurting his wrist….baby," Shaw stated.

"I love volleyball; played all through high-school," Joss admitted distractedly as she handed Maddie a grape juicebox.

"So you're pretty good then?" Shaw demanded.

Joss looked up as Maddie sat between her and John, sipping her juicebox. She looked at Shaw and then the Wixoms as they all looked at her expectantly. "I like to think so but I'm a little rusty," she agreed slowly.

"I call dibs on Carter!" Shaw announced before Selma or Nigel could.

"Whoa! I didn't say I was playing," Joss countered as she looked at John and Maddie.

John laughed. "You're playing now that Shaw knows you're good at it," he assured her.

"But what about you and Maddie?" she asked.

He looked down at Maddie before looking at Joss. "Maddie and I will go do some daddy-daughter stuff," he said with a shrug.

Maddie bounced before slipping onto his lap. "Yea, yea, yea!" she said as she bit the little plastic straw between her teeth.

John knew that Maddie would love to go swimming some more but he had seen her eyes when they exited the terminal of the cruise liner and entered the Arrival Plaza of Falmouth. They had tons of small shops and what was called the Crafts Market with a lot of handmade things from local vendors. But they had needed to hurry to head to their excursions they had already booked. Now while Joss played some beach volleyball, he and Maddie could go do a little wandering themselves because he knew that Maddie would love to see all the arts, crafts, and local music. Joss and Maddie both told him all about her love for making things. Their daughter was a little creative wizard as she had drew him a picture last night before they played on her tablet. Knowing that Maddie was Leila's best friend made him wonder if Grace helped her draw and it wouldn't surprise him: Leila wasn't very good at arts and crafts. She was like daddy, a bookworm.

He looked down into his daughter's eyes. "Maddie, do you want to head back to the Arrival Plaza and go look at the Crafts Market and look around at some of the shops there while mommy plays volleyball with Sam?" he asked.

"YEA!"

John smiled as he looked at Joss. "It's settled; we're going to head to the Crafts Market in the Arrival Plaza," he murmured, knowing it was coming to an end, to their time at Jamaica, and he was okay with that. They still had the rest of their day to attend too after they boarded the ship. Maddie was going to go to the Fun Factory for a while which left him and Joss some alone time before they picked her up and they went to dinner with the Wixoms, Donnelly, and Shaw. And after dinner they were going to take in a live show at the theatre.

Maddie stood up and he took her juicebox from her so she could get her bathing suit cover on. Thankfully they had stopped swimming a couple hours ago so his swim trunks were for the most part dry. He got to his feet with Joss and tugged his tank-top back on much to Joss's dismay. He slid his feet into his flip-flops and Maddie followed suit and they both looked at Joss.

Joss smiled as she bent down and kissed her daughter's cheek before straightening and kissed John on the lips, uncaring about who was watching before releasing him reluctantly. "Okay, you two have fun while mommy and Sam beat up on the Wixoms," she instructed.

"How about we meet you there since it's near where we board the ship?—Maddie and I will be near the fountain," he murmured.

Joss nodded, really wanting to go with them, but also wanted to give them a little alone time. She'd had Maddie all to herself for four years now, now it was time to let daddy and daughter get to experience some things alone.

"Okay, sounds good," she agreed.

Shaw glanced at Carter's wistful gaze as she watched Reese and the little girl walk away hand in hand with Mads chatting it up with Reese. "You can go, I can beat the Wixoms by myself with one hand tied behind my back," she assured her.

"Oh I don't think so!" Selma said with laughter.

Joss shook her head as she looked at Shaw. "No, daddy and daughter deserve to have a little alone time and she'll have fun walking the Plaza with John. Besides, I haven't played volleyball in a very long time and wouldn't mind playing a game or two," she admitted, turning her attention from Shaw and onto the Wixoms as they slowly began walking to one of the empty nets. "It's on!"

"Best two out of three," Nigel agreed as he picked up the white ball and passed it to Shaw. "You can serve first," he offered.

Shaw smirked as she threw the ball up and down. "Oh, that's your downfall, Wixom!" 

* * *

John slowed his pace for Maddie's sake as they walked away from the beach to where taxis were waiting patiently for vacationers to need them. He climbed in one and handed the driver some cash and asked for the Arrival Plaza.

"Can I get something, daddy?"

He smiled as he had his arm looped around Maddie as she sat beside him, belted in on the middle seat. "Of course, I'll buy whatever you want, honey."

"I'm hungry, daddy."

"Me too, I saw a Dairy Queen before we left to go see those pretty waterfalls," he murmured.

"ICE CREAM!" Maddie cried as she bounced on the seat beside him.

John nodded as he eyed his daughter's matching eyes. "Daddy is going to be in trouble with mommy, isn't he?"

Maddie giggled as she nodded. He laughed. "At least we know it; mommy can't be too mad though. She should know better than let us troublemakers alone," he said and Maddie laughed harder. It was about a thirty minute ride to the Arrival Plaza from the beach they were at and he opened the door, climbing out and helping his daughter out.

Maddie easily zeroed in on the Dairy Queen across the stone path from them and she began tugging on his hand to get him going. Apparently ice cream was first and going to look around the shops and Crafts Market became secondary.

There was a small line as they entered the store but within minutes they were up to order. Maddie's little nose could rest on the countertop before them. "Hi, may I help you?" the worker asked.

He rubbed Maddie's hands as she rested them on the countertop. "Sweetheart, tell the nice lady what you would like to have," he murmured.

"Can I have a strawberry sundae please?" she asked quietly.

The woman smiled. "Of course you can, sweetie." the woman said before ringing it up for Maddie and looked to him. "And for you sir?" she inquired.

"A Banana Split," he ordered. She rang up his and he paid for their treats. While they waited for their desserts to be made Maddie nearly buzzed in delight as she watched her strawberry sundae get made. He smiled as the woman worker drizzled extra of the strawberry topping on for Maddie.

The woman turned and handed Maddie the cup. "Here you go, sweetie," she said with a smile.

Maddie looked at her. "Thank you," she said happily.

"You're welcome," The lady said with a large smile before looking at him. "Yours is coming up, sir."

After a few moments he got banana split and Maddie's eyes grew big as she saw his dish. "You can try a little after you finish yours," he promised as he led her outside so they could sit at one of the tables outside. He pulled the plastic chair back for Maddie to climb onto and sat down beside her. "Did you have a fun time in Jamaica?" he asked in between bites of his dessert.

"Yea, the dolphins were the bestest, daddy!" she exclaimed.

"They were; mommy and daddy got photos of you kissing the one dolphin," he agreed and she giggled and then talked animatedly about the baby dolphin. John smiled, truly loving hearing how her mind worked. She spoke a mile a minute and he made a mental note to find a stuffed dolphin for her at one of the shops on the cruise ship and if they didn't have it then he'd order her one.

Maddie ate her strawberry sundae with gusto and immediately pushed the cup back and eyed his. She tried his banana split and he limited how much she had because he didn't want her getting sick. They climbed to their feet and they threw away their trash before he grabbed her hand and led her to the shops across from them.

The vendors were nice and very friendly. They appealed to Maddie who wanted one of everything and kept looking to him to agree. Joss would kill him if he bought her everything their daughter pointed at. "I'm sorry honey, we can't buy everything," he said sternly. John tried to prepare himself for the sad eyes but none came. It seemed Maddie knew when to pick and choose her battles and mommy must have taught her she can't have everything.

They came up to a woman vendor who had handmade jewelry. "Hello," the woman greeted.

"Hello," John responded immediately. Maddie oohed and ahhed at a lot of the jewelry but he saw a particular set on a different table that Maddie would love. He motioned at them and she hopped up and down as she eyed the beaded bracelet with the colors of their flag and in the middle of the beads was a silver letter.

"Do you have little girl ones?—with a M," he asked.

The woman nodded and motioned at smaller of the same bracelets and found one with an M. It was definitely smaller than the bracelets they were looking at. "It's adjustable so she'll be able to wear it while she grows," the woman explained.

"Do you have a J one for an adult?" he asked.

"Yes!"

"I'll take one of those and the one Maddie has," he requested. He looked down at Maddie as he tugged out his wallet. "So now you and mommy can match," he said and Maddie squealed.

"Can I give mommy hers, daddy?"

"Of course you can, buttercup."

Once the bracelets were paid for, and he helped Maddie put it on; they bid the nice woman farewell and headed for the next vendor and he immediately bought Maddie a pink tank-top that had 'Jamaica' written on the front of it. They moved onto the Crafts Market which was a large structure that resembled a tent that held about twenty vendors or more, a lot of them were woodworking but he saw other clothes, purses, jewelry, and other little things.

They walked together and he let Maddie pick something out for him and she picked out a lime green t-shirt with 'Jamaica' written on it with a different font and in bright yellow letters, and then she chose a small handmade wood carving with the zodiac signs so they found his of Taurus so he could purchase it from her.

After a while of browsing and buying her more trinkets; he led his daughter over to where a man was playing music under a tent in the middle of the Plaza. It was still quite empty with some people milling around. He looked down at Maddie as she listened to the reggae music.

John smiled as she bopped and swayed to the music. He set their purchases down beside them and held out his hand so that Maddie looked up. "May I have this dance, Madeline?" John asked politely.

Maddie giggled as she nodded her head bashfully. He scooped her up and held her hand as he danced fast with her in his arms. He pirouetted with her and tipped her back and she laughed heartily while other tourists smiled at them as they walked by.

He began humming a tune that had been on his mind since learning the truth about her being his daughter. "Isn't she lovely," he sang to her and Maddie beamed as he danced with her in his arms. "Isn't she won-der-ful, isn't she precious," he serenaded his baby before he kissed her nose and she giggled. "So precious!" he adlibbed to the song as he rested his forehead against hers before continuing, "less than one minute old…I never thought through love we'd be making one as lovely as she but isn't she lovely made from love…" he sang softly to her.

Joss walked with the Wixoms and Shaw as they entered the Plaza after sharing a couple fun games of volleyball. They did beat the Wixoms but it took all three games which seemed to make Shaw happy while it looked like the Wixoms just had fun. After everything Selma and Nigel went through and what was to come after their honeymoon with the fact that her father tried to kill Nigel; they deserved a little fun in the sun. They had realized that over an hour had come and gone and they were ready to call it a day at the beach.

And Joss was hard-pressed to spend time with Maddie and John, but she wasn't expecting to find them in the middle of the Arrival Plaza dancing. They had a few bags near John's feet which meant John had bought their daughter souvenirs. But the bags didn't draw her attention much; it was the man swaying with the little girl in his arms. John had his back to them and she just stopped moving.

Shaw and the Wixoms both looked at her. "What?" Shaw wondered before following her gaze and exhaled.

Selma meanwhile sighed happily. "Oh now aren't they just the cutest!" she said sappily.

Joss just nodded because she didn't have a voice. They were just beautiful and she wanted a picture. She dug in her tote and found her phone and waited for John to turn the right way as she held her phone out, and held it up waiting to take a picture. "Come on, John, turn a little," she whispered.

Joss smiled as if John could hear her and turned giving her a profile of daddy and daughter as they smiled at each other as John sang to Maddie. She snapped the pic and sighed as she eyed it. This was immediately becoming her phone's background.

"Can I see it?" Selma asked.

Joss showed Selma and Nigel the picture and Selma cooed at the picture and fanned her face. "Your husband and daughter are so precious together."

Joss didn't correct her about John not being her husband. She stepped forward towards the pair and as she got closer she could hear what he was singing to Maddie and she smiled further.

"Isn't she pretty, truly the angel's best…" he crooned rhythmically and rather well. Joss wasn't really surprised that John could carry a tune. John's voice was amazing, so naturally he could sing too. "…boy, I'm so hap-py, we have been heaven blessed."

"I can't believe what God has done…" she sang and John turned to look at her and smiled. "…through us he gave life to one, but isn't she lovely made from love," she finished breathlessly because her heart was close to bursting. John and Maddie nearly singlehandedly blew it apart by being impossibly beautiful together.

Maddie grinned, having no idea they sang about her and looked at mommy. "Mommy, daddy was singing to me and we danced and we went shopping and we went and got ice cream!" she said without taking a breath. "And mommy we got you something that daddy says that I can give you!"

Joss looked at him pointedly at the ice cream bit. But even though she didn't like Maddie having a lot of sweets she couldn't even be upset at the moment because she was kind of emotional over hearing John singing that song and dancing with Maddie.

John set Maddie down and she immediately dug through the bag to find whatever it was that they got her and her eyes were on John. "I'm going to kiss and hug Harold and Grace so hard for giving us this chance to find each other…" she said roughly fighting back tears.

John furrowed his brows and she held out her phone, he looked down and smiled. He looked up. "They have some good ideas every now and then," he teased.

Maddie produced whatever her and daddy had found to buy her and Joss forced her gaze away and focus on what their daughter was showing her. "Oh my, it's so beautiful," Joss said sincerely as she took the bracelet.

"It's just like mine, mommy," Maddie said as she showed Joss her bracelet.

Joss smiled. "You're my mini-me?" she asked teasingly. Maddie giggled and nodded. Joss looked at John. "How about daddy helps me get it on?" she asked as she held out her wrist.

"I'll be honored too," he said formally.

Shaw stood with Selma and Nigel as they eyed Reese and Carter. Selma sighed. "Oh they are so cute!—I can't believe I thought you and John were in love romantically. It's so obvious you two love each other in a sibling sort of way. I'm so embarrassed," she said ruefully.

"It just means Reese and I were good at our job," Shaw said with a shrug before eyeing Reese and Carter and the look on Carter's face. "They will be having sex the moment that kid is dropped off at the Fun Factory," she deadpanned. 

* * *

They burst into Joss's suite kissing and stumbling. "Maddie is at the Fun Factory for approximately an hour or so," Joss managed between kisses as her hands grabbed handfuls of John's shirt as he dropped the things he bought for Maddie, Joss, and himself.

"Plenty of time," he agreed as he walked backwards to the bedroom and lifted his arms up to pull his tank-top over his head before they were kissing and touching again.

They fell onto the bed, a tangle of arms and legs, both kissing desperately. Joss rolled John over until he was under her and she pushed back. "I love you," she moaned as she sat on him and let him draw her dress above her head. Once it was off she immediately reached for her ties of her bikini.

"I love you too," he purred as he grabbed her and rolled them over and knelt before her and helped undo her ties on her bottoms. She slid her feet from her flip flops and pushed on the elastic of his swim trunks wanting him naked and now.

He pulled free and stood up and shucked his trunks off and she smiled in happiness because John was naked and erect. She removed her bikini top and flung it off the bed as he finished the ties on her bottoms and removed them. Joss sat up and reached out to wrap a hand around his cock and he moaned as he kissed her warmly as he climbed back onto the bed and on top of her.

She broke the kiss and pushed him onto his back. "I'm on top this time," she said firmly as she climbed on him, positioning him before slowly taking him into her. John moaned in agreement as his hands gripped her hips as she inched herself down on him until he was fully sheathed inside her.

She set a slow pace. Joss leaned her hands back resting them on his shins as she moved working herself on him moving back and forth, sliding his delicious cock deep in her and then out. Her feet were firmly planted on either side of his hips using the bed as leverage to draw herself off him. The angle of his penetration had John in her as far as he could possibly go, with his coarse private hair tickling her clit.

Slowly she picked up the tempo because the languid pace wasn't enough; she sat forward and rested her hands on his chest moving her hips faster. John moaned as she sped up while his blood grew hot as the tension in his loins swirled. He could feel the way she gripped him tight inside her and heard her sharp inhales meaning she was getting close too, but then so was he.

He urged her hips to move faster, to ride him harder, and he met her thrust for thrust. He left one hand on her hip while he let his other hand wander between her legs and found her clit lovingly teasing it, really needing her to get there because he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out. Whenever Joss took control he was utterly lost.

"Oh, John," she gasped as she leaned her head back feeling like the orgasm was just out of her reach until his teasing fingers slid between her legs and stroked her swollen flesh.

John groaned, "Get there, Joss," he ordered gruffly feeling her hot walls clasp on his dick even tighter, narrowing the tunnel which was heaven on him. And then he lost his tenuous hold on his control because her pussy was too perfect to resist as his orgasm rushed him as he moaned her name as he came inside her; holding himself still beneath her, both hands now grasping her hips in bruising intensity as all focus was on the intense ecstasy she brought him. Joss followed over the edge soon after as never ending waves of pleasure washed over her as she held herself taut on top of him as she cried out his name.

Before long she collapsed on his chest and he held her as their bodies clung together as they laid in bed breathless but sated.

Joss sighed as her body hummed with satisfaction, her head resting on his chest as they were still joined intimately. They laid in that way, quiet and basking in the afterglow for a good several minutes.

She pressed a warm kiss to his chest just above his hard nipple and sighed as she felt like she was back in her body. "Got enough time to snuggle before we have to get dressed and go pick Maddie up," she murmured less raggedly than if she had tried a few minutes earlier.

John didn't respond verbally, choosing to hold her tightly in his arms before finally asking, "Are we still heading to dinner and to the theatre to take in that show with the Wixoms and Shaw?"

She lifted her head to stare down into his eyes and moved her hand up to tease her fingertip against his chin. "Of course, the Wixoms invited us and they really want to buy you, Shaw, and Donnelly dinner for saving Nigel's life. I'm just grateful they included me and Maddie. And knowing Maddie, she'll be out cold before the show is over with how messed up her sleep schedule has been this entire cruise, so once we get back to the suite and put her to bed that means we can play together some more," she spoke with a husky drawl and with a wicked smile in place.

He moaned as he felt her clench her walls around his soft but sensitive cock that was still buried deep inside her. "Stop that or we'll be at it again and there won't be any snuggle time," he reprimanded sternly and she giggled softly at him.

"Hmmm: more snuggles or more sex?—whatever shall I choose." she purred and John rolled her over until she was under him. She pouted as she felt him slide free of her. "Seriously you're choosing snuggles?!" she said in surprise.

He smirked as he flipped her onto her stomach. Joss sighed as she felt his lips kiss the small of her back and had his hands cupping her butt. She moaned in response to his tongue sliding up her spine until he reached her neck and he rested his hands on hers that were stretched above her head. She felt his cock rest against her ass as she felt him twitch to life again.

"I'm choosing to make you come apart Joss," he purred as he pressed a kiss to her ear before slowly sliding back down, scraping his teeth against her back, nipping and then licking down to her ass.

Joss could only whimper in answer as thinking up words in response to him became too much of an effort to attempt.

* * *

AN: Definitely you have to thank Elaine for this extra chapter since I wrote it for her :) Oh, and brownie points to anyone who knows the song! Next chapter:

 **Ch 22: I See Your Bunny & Raise You a Heart**

Thanks for reading!


	23. C22:I See Your Bunny & Raise You a Heart

The rest of the remainder of the cruise was done in a blink of an eye. Joss had been wishing and hoping for the remaining days to go extremely slow, unlike her original wish of the cruise going extremely quickly. They spent all day together and Shaw inserted herself into their family time but it was alright because, oddly enough, she felt like an extension to their family rather than an unwanted intrusion. Maddie enjoyed Sam's antics and always got into a good giggle fit when Sam was around with her and her daddy's shenanigans. Maddie, and mommy too, especially enjoyed Shaw pushing John into the pool and John's retaliation of stealing Shaw's sandwich before she could even get a bite into it was comical. They were much less tense now that their case was finished and they really reminded her of brother and sister with the way they treated each other.

It was just fun talking, laughing, and spending time together even with Shaw and the Wixoms at times. And then at night when Maddie was asleep; it was just her and John, making love, then cuddling and talking, finally followed by restful sleep. It was so nice having his arms wrapped around her, holding her so snugly and securely. And then when she woke up in the morning, he was still there and she was content. It was perfect and amazing, just how she wanted every morning to be.

But now the real world was raining down on them because they were docked at Fort Lauderdale and it was time to go back home. Home for her and Maddie was in New York while John lived in Washington D.C. and not once during the last couple days they spent together did they talk about their future after the cruise ended. They had blissfully put away the real world and lived in a bubble and the delightful bubble just popped as she stood with Maddie beside her large suitcase and carryon.

Joss held Maddie's hand tight as she watched John and Shaw heading over towards them. John had gone back to the stateroom before they docked to help make sure everything went alright with the security screening with Shaw. Her heart clenched at the sight of him as he stood in jeans and just a simple tee, looking about as shabby as she felt because they both knew this goodbye was going to hurt. They just found each other after all this time and now they had to go their separate ways…again.

Maddie moved forward and tugged but realized mommy wanted her to stay put. "Daddy!" she exclaimed in happiness.

"Hey buttercup," he bent and swept her into his arms for a giant hug before straightening. "So, uh, when's your flight back to New York?" he asked as he looked to Joss for the answer.

"In two hours. Harold got me a driver and the airport isn't that far from here, so I'll have enough time to get through security." Joss answered quietly, feeling it harder to pretend that this wasn't hurting. She didn't know where they stood and talking about it right here and right now wasn't a very good option. "How about you guys?" she asked forcing the polite talk.

"We don't leave until another couple hours," John admitted.

"Mommy?"

Joss swallowed hard, knowing she was going to have to tell Maddie pretty soon what was going on and she was not looking forward to it. "Yes, sweetheart?" she focused attention on her baby.

"I wanna go swimming." she announced looking at the ship.

"I'm sorry, honey, but we can't. We go home today." Joss said gently as she leaned down and cupped her daughter's chin. "But when we get home I'll take you to your favorite toy store," she offered. She knew she was bribing Maddie but she didn't care. Once she realized she was going home without Her daddy, Maddie was going to be _very_ upset.

"Okay," Maddie agreed with a smile, liking that idea, before looking at John. "Daddy, we go home today."

John stiffened and he forced a bright cheerful smile Joss could tell he wasn't feeling. "We do," he agreed with lack of enthusiasm.

"I wanna show you my room and all my toys, daddy," Maddie said brightly as if she wasn't opening a wound but inadvertently she was because he wanted to go home with them, but he couldn't. He had to go to the office tomorrow to do his reports and then meet with Control, then maybe, he could ask for a meeting with her about a transfer too. But knowing Ma'am, she was going to make him pencil in an appointment with her receptionist. Being away from her and Joss was going to be the hard.

"Uh-oh, I smell tears coming," Shaw whispered as she backpedaled as she tugged her phone out.

John hesitated before he got down to his daughter's level and grabbed her little hands. He kept his smile on his face as he rubbed his thumbs over her little hands. "I look forward to seeing your room, Maddie, but I'm not going home with you and mommy today," he said softly. Maddie's lip wobbled immediately and John felt like he cut his own heart open. "Sweetheart, it's not forever. I'll be seeing you and mommy again," he promised. But it wasn't enough because tears slid down and John let go of her hands and she turned to Joss crying. Joss bent and scooped her up as she cried.

Joss stood holding Maddie who was sobbing in her neck. "Baby, daddy lives someplace else, he has to go to work."

"Why?"

John leaned in close as he wrapped an arm around Joss's waist. "I don't want to leave you and mommy but mommy's right, I have to go to work, buttercup," he said softly which didn't console Maddie at all. She was crying and mumbling out that she didn't want him to go. He wasn't going to promise that he would be in New York forever after a few days and not be able to deliver on it. That would hurt his daughter even more if he couldn't get a quick transfer or if he had to put his two weeks in. It was up to Control on how she wanted to play it.

He stepped back and Joss stared into his eyes. "This really sucks," Joss whispered gruffly feeling about as crummy as their daughter. She didn't want John to leave any more than Maddie did.

John nodded as Shaw stayed back to give them at least a little privacy. As much privacy as outside of a docked cruise ship could as Joss waited for her car. "I know this sucks. We'll figure it out, Joss, just give me a little time," he murmured.

He reached out to touch Joss's cheek, "I need to head to D.C. to do paperwork for this case and debrief with my superior and I'll come into New York for a few days," he promised.

"Okay," Joss said softly as she rubbed a soothing hand over Maddie's back as she cried. "That sounds fair. Um, text me when you are coming, so I can show her. She'll be counting down the days until you come back," she admitted and John's look said it all. So she added, "So will I."

"Joss—"

Joss forced a smile on her face. "I'm not saying this to guilt you. I'm saying it because it's the truth, John."

"I'll miss you both more," he guaranteed.

"When we get back home, could we possibly Facetime each other so she can see you?" she asked softly.

John stepped forward. "Of course," he reassured her as he rubbed Joss's arm and stared at Maddie, wishing there was some way he could take her pain from her. Giving her a hug wasn't going to work this time.

Tears slid from Joss's eyes as she held their daughter and stared at John. He looked about as good as she felt right now. "I hate this. We just found each other again and I'm not ready to say goodbye yet," she whispered roughly.

He looked at her and reached out to rub away the few tears that slipped down her cheeks. "It's not goodbye Joss, it's: see you later," he murmured.

Joss nodded. "I know. We have to talk about things."

"We will when I fly in to New York; we can talk about everything then," he agreed. "I love you Joss," he whispered.

More tears spilled out. "I love you too," she whispered roughly. Joss stepped back to look at Shaw. "Shaw," she murmured and the woman looked up and at her. "Take care of this one for me will you?" Joss asked with a nod to John.

Shaw smirked. "That I can do!"

"I know we got off on the wrong foot at first, Shaw; but I'm glad I got to know you, because you're really a good person and I like to think of you as a friend," Joss said sincerely.

John turned to look back at Shaw and saw her staring at Joss. It seemed Joss had a knack for rendering Shaw speechless. He turned to look back at Joss. "She likes you too. You have the ability to tongue tie her," he spoke for Shaw. "Me included," he added and Joss dropped her gaze as she smiled shyly.

John eyed his daughter who didn't seem to care about anything at the moment but the fact that she was leaving and daddy wasn't coming with them. "Maddie," he whispered and she leaned up and reached for him.

"Come with me daddy, pleasssssse," she begged.

John held her as she sobbed into his neck. He rubbed her back. "I wish I could, Maddie. But I have to go to work in D.C., but I will Skype just like you do with your older brother," he said in comfort.

"It'snotthesamedaddy," she cried, her words running together and he was having a tough time discerning what she was saying through her tears.

He rubbed her back as he kissed the top of her head. "I know, cupcake, that it's not the same. But we'll talk every day until I can come see mommy and you. We'll count the days together," he promised.

Joss turned as her name was called. She sighed as she saw Leon approaching her. "Hey there Joss, you're still looking as beautiful as ever!"

John narrowed his eyes on the small man that was complimenting Joss. It wasn't the compliment that bothered him, it was the way the man was looking at her that did. "Who are you?" he demanded as he held Maddie in his arms, her cries quietening as Shaw spoke to her.

Leon puffed his chest out but then coughed as he slackened. "I'm Leon, her driver. And you are?"

"He's the father to my daughter and the man I love," Joss supplied sensing the testosterone levels rising and not in the mood to deal with a jealous John and an amorous Leon who stood no shot. She was in a foul mood at the moment that she and John were being separated…again. And Maddie was as devastated as she knew their daughter was going to be by it.

"Oh," Leon said as he deflated a bit more. "Here let me help you with those," he said as he grabbed her suitcase and proceeded to roll it over to his car.

Joss grimaced. Didn't he remember that he couldn't lift her suitcase the first time?—it hadn't been pretty. In fact it was going to be worse this time because of the souvenirs they purchased, it was heavier and he was struggling to lift it up even a few inches.

"What is this guy, a wimp?" Shaw demanded out loud as they had all walked behind him, following to the car, and Leon glared at her as he let go of the handle of the suitcase.

He puffed out some air from exertion. "I'll have you know I'm in excellent shape but I hurt my rotator cuff and lifting a heavy bag like this suitcase isn't good for it," Leon explained defensively.

John snorted as he stepped forward and lifted the bag with ease and situated it into the trunk with one hand as he kept a firm grip on Maddie who finally quieted down but she still wasn't in the mood to come out from hiding her face in his neck.

"That explanation would work if you managed to lift the bag, Leon," John murmured.

He set Maddie down on her feet which commenced the crying again as he walked over to get Joss's carryon for her. Joss reached down, running a hand through her braids as Maddie wrapped her arms around her leg and buried her face into her knee. John carried it over and set it into the trunk next to the suitcase.

"What's wrong with Muriel?" Leon asked.

Joss rolled her eyes. "Her name is Maddie," she corrected. "And she's upset that daddy can't come home with us."

John crouched down to her level. "Maddie, I love you. I want to kiss and hug you goodbye," he said quietly. Maddie turned and flung her arms around his neck and cried. "I'll be seeing you soon, I promise, baby," he whispered. He held her tightly and kissed her cheek.

Joss sniffed. "Maddie, let daddy go; he promised he'll be seeing us soon and when we get home he'll Facetime with you," she said firmly as she helped pull Maddie back.

John stared deeply into his daughter's sad eyes. "I'll miss you and mommy so much while I'm away at work."

"Do you want Mrs. Pickles to keep you company?" Maddie asked quietly.

John smiled. "It would make me feel so much better," he agreed, sensing she wanted him to have her favorite stuffed animal.

Joss hurried to the trunk and unzipped the carryon to find the damn stuffed bunny she loved. She tugged it out and gave it to Maddie so she could give it to daddy.

Maddie handed him her favorite stuffed bunny. John took it. "Thank you Maddie, Mrs. Pickles will keep me from feeling too lonely without you and mommy," he murmured.

"Yea," she agreed as her eyes were puffy and nose was red.

"I love you, honey,"

Maddie's little lip wobbled. "I-I love y-you daddy," her voice quivered. John kept his pain locked away because Maddie was upset enough for the both of them.

"I know this hurts, Maddie, so I want to give you something of mine to hold onto and keep safe until I can get home to you and mommy. Do you think you can take care of it for me?" he asked.

Maddie nodded, "Yea."

Joss stared at John and Maddie. She wondered what he was going to give their daughter to hang onto because whatever it was she needed to keep an eye on it. Maddie wouldn't mean to lose it but she was four.

"Good," John said with a nod. "I need you to hang onto my heart because wherever you go, Maddie, it goes."

Joss turned around and bit down hard on her lip to keep from making a choked cry. What was John trying to do?—rip her heart out?! She wasn't going to cry in misery until she was alone!

"How daddy?"

"How baby?—easy," he murmured as he reached out with his free hand and lifted her little hand to his chest and held it over his heart. "Now you have it, Maddie, so when I get to New York, to give me my heart back, you have to give me a hug and a kiss on the cheek," he said with a smile.

"Okay," Maddie smiled in return. John straightened and Maddie turned. "Mommy, daddy gave me his heart!"

Joss turned and gave a watery smile. "I heard," she managed as it felt like her chest was constricting and it was a little hard to breathe. She looked up at John and leaned in and kissed him. To hell with Shaw and Leon who were watching, she wanted a kiss to hold onto until John came to New York so they could talk about their future. When he got to New York she was going to ask him to move there permanently because giving their daughter his heart to hold might work this time but it wasn't going to work the next.

John kissed her back softly before he pulled back and opened the door for her.

"Call me when you get into New York safely," he requested gently.

Joss nodded. "I will. And we'll have to Facetime," she said with a look at Maddie who looked ready to cry again.

Leon took that as his cue as he rounded his car and climbed in. Joss sat down and reached out for Maddie. Maddie began crying once more as she sat on her lap. John blew them a kiss. "I love you, Joss and Maddie," he said gruffly.

"I love you, daddy," Maddie cried.

"I love you, John," Joss whispered and she echoed her daughter's sentiments as tears filled her eyes as John stepped back and slid the door closed. Maddie began sobbing. "Go, Leon," she ordered roughly. The quicker they got away from John the easier she could soothe her daughter.

"No, don't go, mommy, I don't wanna leave daddy! Why can't we go with daddy?" she cried.

Joss didn't answer the question because she knew Maddie was just upset. She let Maddie go and she stood up in the backseat to stare out the back window at daddy who must have been waving because she waved back.

Joss kept a firm hold of Maddie's back as she cried but her daughter's sobs of 'daddy' as she watched out the back window nearly shattered her heart. Leon tried to drown out Maddie's sobs with music but it didn't help. Maddie collapsed in mommy's arms as she cried.

"Oh baby, I promise you'll have your daddy one way or another," she vowed, even if that meant they had to move Washington D.C., then it was what she would do. Maddie's happiness was the only thing that mattered and all she wanted was her daddy back. And so did she.

* * *

Shaw kept silent as she watched as John kept waving at the car until it disappeared. She knew the whole heart giving was metaphorical, meant to ease Mads' pain, but at the moment she really believed Maddie and Carter had sped off with the damn thing. He looked crushed and she wanted to hit something because she didn't like it. She didn't like Reese looking like Droopy.

She sidled up beside him, not commenting on the few tears that streaked down his cheeks; she didn't know what to say. Jokes wouldn't make him smile. Useless chitchat she didn't excel at. So instead she remained silent, giving him moral support by just being present. He held the ridiculous pink bunny in his one hand crushing it in a bruising grip.

"Hey guys," Shaw turned at the sound of Donnelly's voice. She glanced at Reese who looked to be in his own little world right now as he stared the way Carter and Maddie went.

She turned and strode over to Donnelly to keep the guy back. Reese needed a moment alone. "What do you want?" she demanded.

"We have a few hours to kill before we board our plane I was wondering if you guys wanted to head to a bar and grab a few beers or something."

Shaw nodded. "Sounds good. Text us where you'll be at and we'll meet you there," she muttered.

"Oh no, I won't; I'll do that and you'll just not show up," Donnelly countered.

Shaw rolled her eyes. "Would I do that?"

"Yes," Donnelly agreed immediately.

Shaw sighed. "Maybe before this cruise but, well, you don't suck as much as I first figured. So having drinks with you won't make me want to drink a bottle of Draino first anymore."

"Oh gee thanks, Shaw." Donnelly griped. But beggars shouldn't be choosers and he had been waiting for a while for Shaw to realize he was capable at his job, and not at all as bad as she deemed him to be. At least this was sort of a stepping stone in the right direction for them.

Donnelly finally noticed that Reese was staring off into space. "Is he okay?" he asked with a motion at Reese. Judging by the rigidness in Reese's posture suggested he wasn't.

"Carter and Maddie just left. Reese is like a puppy that got left behind. Didn't help that Maddie put Carter and Reese through the wringer with the tears, the kid's tears make you want to steal a rainbow to make it all better for her. Or rob a toy store for her. And Maddie left her stuffed animal with John so he wouldn't be lonely," Shaw murmured, leaving off the heart bit. Even it had gotten to her, though she wouldn't admit it to anyone in a million years.

Donnelly winced. "Ouch, that had to hit him where it hurt."

John whirled around and all signs of his earlier anguish of watching Joss and Maddie leave were gone. Hidden away behind a veil of composure as he walked over to where they were waiting with their luggage.

"You okay Reese?" Donnelly asked.

"I'm fine." he snapped which Shaw would have on any other day or time pointed out that it didn't sound like he was fine. But common sense told her to remain quiet. "Someone said something about alcohol?" he demanded shortly as he ripped his suitcase open and put Maddie's stuffed animal inside securely.

"Yea, we have time before our flight to…"

"Let's go," John said cutting Donnelly off as he brushed past them yanking his suit case along with him, leaving them to follow him.

Shaw looked at Donnelly with a smirk. "Good news, he's next to you on the flight home." Shaw said. At first when she saw that she had been angry but now she was grateful.

"Why is that great news?"

"Well if Reese gets smashed; you'll be next to him if he needs to find that barf bag," Shaw said simply with a snicker as she jerked her suitcase forward and followed behind Reese.

"Crap, let's switch seats," Donnelly called out as he was left to follow her.

* * *

AN: I'm sorry for not giving a heads up on this chapter. Poor Maddie. She just makes you want to rip your heart out. Next chapter:

 **Ch 23: We Go Together Like Milk & Cookies**

Thanks for reading!


	24. Ch23: We Go Together Like Milk & Cookies

Joss sat with Harold and Grace as Leila and Maddie played. "So how was the trip home?" Grace asked as she handed Joss a ceramic mug full of coffee with just a dab of milk as she requested.

"Horrible; which is why I begged to come over so she could see you guys and Maddie could play with Leila this morning! Maddie is just devastated without John. She cried the entire drive to the airport, the entire time in the airport. By the time we boarded she tuckered herself out and slept for the plane ride home. But then when she woke up at the airport in New York, she cried all the way home in that taxi ride. I felt bad for the cabbie," Joss said as she leaned her head back, still filled with remorse and guilt. Her baby girl shouldn't be this heartbroken, momma should fix it and she just couldn't. Not yet at least.

"Oh dear," Harold murmured sadly.

Grace looked at Maddie who didn't seem her usual cheerful self. "Poor baby, so what are you and John going to do now?" she asked.

"He said he needed to do paperwork and have a debriefing about his case with his superior, then he's taking a few days off to come to New York for a visit and we can talk then. I already miss him. God knows Maddie does. Maddie has drawn inward and that's upsetting but I can't do anything until I can sit down with John and talk about our future. John even gave her his heart," Joss said miserably. It was lonely in her bed without John. Those last couple days with John on the cruise and sharing the bed had gotten her used to waking up in his arms.

Grace blinked, "Um what?" she wondered in obvious confusion. So Joss explained what John had done and said to Maddie and Grace's eyes misted over. "That man sometimes," Grace murmured as she rubbed her eyes. Harold rubbed her back affectionately.

"I know. He turned my insides into mush. Maddie was happy to be bestowed with something so special and is taking it very seriously. She tells him every time when they Skype or Facetime that she is keeping his heart safe and sound for him. And Taylor has been amazing with Skyping her a few extra times these last two days to try to cheer her up. It mostly works because Maddie adores Taylor to pieces but then when he hangs up she's mopey again. And when John Skype's her or Facetime's it's just a mess. Maddie doesn't want to let him end it. So we decided to start having the Skype calls at night before her bedtime so she falls asleep during them. It should be easier now."

"I have talked to John myself since the cruise ended. We talked about Richard and Selma, but we also touched on what happened between the two of you and about Maddie. He's miserable," Harold murmured.

He had been extremely upset to learn what Richard had tried to do with paying someone to kill Nigel Wixom and needed John's help to understand it. Didn't Richard care about his daughter one bit? John and he had talked for several hours about what happened; Harold had been embarrassed by the fact that he hadn't known. All this time he had known Richard and he never knew that he had been a controlling freak. Selma never gave any inkling and Richard played the role of perfect father rather well. It was incomprehensible to him how Richard could want to kill Nigel for supporting Selma in endeavors close to her heart. He would never forgive him and Richard could rot in prison for all he cared. He would make sure Selma wanted for nothing but Nigel promised that he was going to take good care of Selma and he believed him. Nigel looked at Selma much as he looked at Grace.

"I know. He looks miserable during our calls," Joss agreed taking no comfort in that because she knew she was as shabby looking too.

Grace rubbed her hand comfortingly. "So when did John say he could come to New York?" she asked softly, being very careful not to say his name too loud. Joss said Maddie was having a hard time and she didn't want to upset the baby any more than she already was.

"He flies in Friday afternoon sometime, I'd have to check the text for the exact time," Joss answered dejectedly, because it was only Wednesday and they had two more days of waiting.

"Well at least that's somewhat soon. Did you get time off from work to be with him?" Harold asked.

"Yes. I work later today and tomorrow and have Friday to Monday off thanks to Felicia. She nearly fell out of her chair when I asked for some time off."

Grace chuckled softly. "Well you have to admit Joss: it is a shock, you never ask for time off. Even for the cruise we had to take the matter into our own hands," she said fondly.

"Yea, Felicia is excited for me and Maddie. She wants to meet John." Joss murmured. She looked at Harold and Grace. "When John gets here I'm going to tell him I am willing to move to Washington D.C." she announced.

Grace blinked in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"I don't want to move, but Maddie's happiness is more important than living in New York. I can get a job anywhere."

Harold shook his head. "Jocelyn, how about you let John come here on Friday and talk. You two need to talk about this before just deciding," he murmured. John had already told him about asking Ma'am for a transfer but he didn't want Joss to know until he knew if he could or if he had to quit his job. He wouldn't know anything further until he had his meeting with Control tomorrow.

"I agree with Harold, Joss. Let John come in to New York so you two pcan talk about things before making decisions. Maybe John would be able to transfer here or something," Grace said gently.

Joss nodded. "I wasn't going to put my two week notice in or put my place up for sale. I just meant my daughter's happiness means more to me than anything and she wants her daddy and I'm going to give her, her daddy one way or another," she said simply.

* * *

John rehearsed what he wanted to say to Control the entire morning. He had asked for a meeting with her and the secretary gave him one at one fifteen. He walked up to her closed door and knocked. He heard a gruff 'come in' and he proceeded.

Control looked up from her computer. "Reese, what do you want?" she asked.

"I needed to talk to you Ma'am," he admitted.

Control exhaled in annoyance as she turned to face forward fully and motioned at the chair across her desk from her. "Have a seat, Reese," she instructed.

John did as he was told and clasped his hands together and stared into Ma'am's hard eyes. "So what do you want? You were already cleared for three days off this coming weekend and I gave you the remainder of the cruise off," she stated.

"I know. Thank you for giving me the time off in such short notice," he said sincerely. Control just shrugged. "But I'm not here to ask for more time off."

"Here to complain about the case I sent you on?—because if you are, you better tread carefully, Reese, I heard more than enough from your partner," she said tersely.

"No. I'm not here to point out the fact that you squandered Shaw and I on that cruise because you chose to believe a friend who was trying to have a man killed because he was in debt, corrupt, and wanted to run Selma's life for her," he murmured pointedly.

Control smirked. "So what do you want then Reese?—a raise?"

"I want a transfer," he answered.

Ma'am cocked a brow up. "A transfer?—to where exactly?" she wondered uninterested.

"The New York field offices."

She made a face. "Why?—you're one my best agents, so why in the hell would I let you be _squandered_ there?" she wondered, using his words against him.

"Because the woman I love and my daughter are there. I want to be with them." John said laconically.

Ma'am seemed unimpressed. "You don't have a daughter," she countered.

John smiled. "Actually I do. I didn't know I had a child, not until Joss found me on that cruise. I met her; she's beautiful and I want to see her grow up," he explained.

"How old is she?" Control asked, showing mild interest now. If there was one thing he knew about Ma'am: she was a sucker for children.

"She's four. She'll be five in December. Her name is Madeline. I missed out on four years of her life, Ma'am, I don't intend to miss out on anymore," he said firmly.

Control grew cold once more. "You could always commute in between cases. New York isn't that far from here," she said abruptly.

John tightened his lips. "I don't want to commute, Ma'am, I want to transfer,"he reiterated firmly.

"And who will be Shaw's partner?—the majority of the bureau is frightened of her. And the ones that aren't, hate her."

John shrugged. "I guess you'll just have to find someone then," he suggested. Why was Ma'am even bringing up Shaw?—and why was it his problem that no one wanted to work with her.

Ma'am chuckled. "Sex must be clouding your judgment because you and I both know that Shaw is not going to want a new partner, Reese. You are the only one who can calm her down."

John eyed Ma'am just as coldly. "That's not my problem now is it, Ma'am? I could just quit," he stated angrily.

"You would quit your job just for this woman?"

"It's not just for this woman. This is for my daughter, for Joss and for me, Ma'am. I love them and I want to be with them. So if you aren't going to let me transfer, then yes, I will quit," he said tersely.

She leaned back in her chair. "Alright; I'll allow your transfer on one condition," Control agreed.

John narrowed his eyes. "And what is that?"

The door to Control's office burst open and he turned and saw Shaw there. "Shaw…" he began, he should have known she wasn't going to let this go that easily. She had been suspiciously quiet and now he knew why because she was going to ambush him during his meeting with Ma'am.

"You take her with you," Control stated and he turned to look at Ma'am fully and ignored Shaw.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not taking another fucking partner on and I am not staying in D.C. while you're in New York! D.C. will be so lame and boring without you. And I would probably get stiffed with someone like Donnelly or Hersch or god forbid: Root!" Shaw complained as she dropped into the chair beside him.

Ma'am eyed John. "Agent Shaw and I had a meeting earlier about this and this is my only stipulation for your transfer. Because I do not wish to be forced to listen to her complain the entire time."

John glared at Control. "So you knew this entire time that I was going to ask for a transfer?" he demanded.

She shrugged, the smirk back on her face. "I always enjoy your usual bluntness during our meetings. I needed one last one before I shipped your stubborn and unorthodox ass to New York. If you want the transfer it includes your partner too, otherwise hand me your badge and gun," she said dismissively.

John looked at Shaw. "Are you sure you want to follow me to New York?—there will be far more people you'll have to deal with there," he pointed out.

Shaw shrugged. "I'll just run them over. They'll learn to get out of my damn way sooner or later," she murmured casually.

John smiled as they both climbed to their feet before he turned to look at Ma'am. "Thank you, Control, I appreciate it."

She grunted in response. "Your transfer is effective immediately: clean out your desks, you are to report in at the New York offices next week from Monday." Ma'am said distractedly as she looked at her computer, which he took as their cue to leave.

They turned and exited Ma'am's office. "Now what do we do?—'effective immediately' colorfully means we have one week and a half to move our asses to New York," Shaw wondered.

John looked at her. "We pack up our desks and I'll call Harold; he should be able to help us find places in Manhattan easily. Thankfully my lease was up next month at my apartment, so I'll just pay the last month's rent,and that's that. What about you?"

Shaw exhaled. "Just signed a year's lease two months ago." she admitted before eyeing him as they walked towards their desks. "Does your rich billionaire friend have a good lawyer to help me break my lease since this is your fault for us moving to New York?" she commanded archly.

John smirked, not pointing out the fact that she didn't have to move because he was kind of glad; he was going to miss her and now he didn't have to. "Did you even need to ask?"

* * *

"Is he here, Mommy?" Maddie asked again, only minutes from the last time she asked the question. She was standing on the couch leaning against the back of the couch, chin in her hands as she stared out the large window that faced the street.

Joss sighed as she looked at her phone. "No. Daddy promised to text when his taxi was coming down our street baby and there is no text yet," she repeated. Maddie was tired. It was well past her bedtime but mommy made the exception to let her stay up to see daddy. It wasn't Maddie's fault that his flight got delayed because of an engine malfunction.

John had asked her to not come to pick him up from the airport because of it being late and not wanting Maddie's night disrupted. And that not happening was a million to one chance since she was all jazzed up that daddy was coming in since she got up this morning. Joss had painted Maddie's nails then tied her shoulder length hair into cute little pigtail buns that sat high on her head; Maddie was tired of braids and Joss loved their daughter's soft curly hair. Maddie's hair was a pretty caramel color, not at all as dark as hers that she always had conditioned and straightened, but on occasion she curled it such as today, just for John's arrival. She knew John was a sucker for curls. But her primping was a bit more elaborate than just curling her hair because she had gone and gotten a bikini wax, shaved, and stopped at the nearest Victoria Secret.

Maddie pouted as she stared out the window. Maddie and mommy had spent the afternoon picking up toys and cleaning her bedroom before baking. They baked daddy chocolate chip cookies and she knew their daughter wanted to give him them so badly. They had glasses of milk already ready for John's arrival so they could eat their cookies together before Maddie headed for bed.

Joss jumped as she ran her hand over her daughter's back as her phone buzzed with a text. She looked immediately at the phone excited that it might be John, to only exhale in disappointment when it was from Grace, asking if John had arrived. She texted her back with a short answer of: no.

"Was that daddy?" Maddie asked eagerly.

"Sorry baby it was Aunt Grace asking if daddy arrived yet," Joss said.

Maddie flung her arms around her. "Mommy I want daddy here, now!"

She held Maddie. "Oh I know baby, mommy wants daddy home too," she murmured gently as she rubbed her back soothingly. "But he'll be here soon and then you can hug him and kiss him so he can have his heart back that you took such good care of."

"Yea!" Maddie agreed.

Her phone buzzed with a text again. Maddie let her go and she picked up her phone and squealed much like Maddie did when she got excited. "Daddy's coming!" she said looking up into Maddie's eyes.

"DADDY'S FINALLY COMING!" Maddie cried as her eyes shifted for the window. Joss nodded as she slid from the couch and hurried for the front door. "HE'S HERE MOMMY!"

Joss didn't need Maddie's help to know that. She saw the taxi pulling up in front of their brownstone just as she opened the door. "Madeline Rae!" Joss shouted sternly as their little four year old shot outside onto the front stoop in the middle of the evening in the cool March's air barefoot, in her jammies, and without a jacket on.

Maddie stopped dead in her tracks and turned to look at her. Joss frowned at her daughter, letting her know she was not pleased with her before motioning to get her ass back in the house. Maddie sniffled as she shuffled inside.

"I know you want to see daddy but you do not ever walk out this door without mommy's permission. You know better, young lady," Joss said forcefully, not swayed by the looming tears in Maddie's eyes. She knew Maddie was beyond excited that daddy was here but that wasn't an excuse to not follow rules.

"I'm sorry, mommy." Maddie apologized with a small voice as she stared outside at daddy who was climbing out of the taxi.

"I know you are." Joss agreed softly as she grabbed her little pink jacket and pink faux UGG boots. She helped her daughter with her jacket and boots before tugging hers on too. "Now you may go out on the front stoop so we can greet daddy," she said as they exited the house.

Joss and Maddie climbed down the front stoop just as John removed his suitcase from the trunk. He turned around and the taxi took off and he smiled. "My two favorite girls," he called out.

"DAAAADY!" Maddie cried in sheer jubilation.

"Hey, buttercup," he moved quickly and leaned down to scoop her up as she pressed a kiss to his cheek and hugged him so tightly. He pressed a warm kiss to her cheek as he held her just as tightly. He closed his eyes as he held her. She was so perfect and he missed her so much, he opened his eyes and found Joss easily. He missed her too.

Joss sped over and wrapped her arms around his waist squishing their daughter between them. "I've missed you so much," Joss said quietly as she pressed a kiss to his lips.

"I've missed you too, Joss."

They stood outside hugging for a few minutes before Joss let him go and led him to the house. John held onto Maddie who had no inclination of letting him go anytime soon. He grabbed the handle of his suitcase and followed Joss up the stoop.

Once they entered, John set Maddie down so he could take his jacket off and she wrapped her arms around his leg. "Daddy, I'm so happy you are here," she cried as tears rolled down her little cheeks.

"I'm so happy to be here with you and mommy," he murmured, rubbing a hand over her head as he tugged his jacket off. Joss took it and hung it up beside hers before she squatted down and cajoled Maddie to let daddy's leg go long enough to remove her jacket.

Maddie did so reluctantly and Joss immediately set to work at removing her jacket and boots. John unzipped his suitcase and produced Mrs. Pickles. "Mrs. Pickles kept daddy great company until I could come back to you and mommy," he said as he handed their daughter her beloved pink bunny. She hugged the bunny tightly as if it was a long lost friend and she led him into the living room where she ran to the couch. He followed slower as he waited for Joss and they walked to the couch together. He sat down between Joss and Maddie as Joss wrapped an arm around his and Maddie climbed on his lap.

"Maddie, don't you have something to give back to daddy too?" Joss asked gently as she held his hand, linking their fingers together.

"Yea, I have your heart and I took good care of it, daddy," Maddie said. "I really did."

"I know you did sweetheart," he agreed with a smile as she flung her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek several times. "Oh thank you, Maddie, for taking such good care of it, it feels much better since I gave it to you to hold onto for me. You must have done something magical to it," he said before tickling her with his free hand and she squirmed before sitting on his lap again.

Joss really wanted to kiss John badly but she knew Maddie wanted to go get daddy his cookies they baked. She was fighting sleep to see daddy and now that he was here Maddie was going to tucker out quickly.

"Baby, why not go get daddy's surprise?" Joss suggested.

Maddie immediately squealed in delight as she set Mrs. Pickles on the couch beside him and slid off. "Don't go nowhere, daddy!" she stipulated before turning and running for the kitchen as quickly as her little legs could take her.

John looked at her in confusion. "Surprise?" he wondered.

"It's something we made you to celebrate," she acknowledged before sneaking a kiss from him. She sighed as she longed to deepen it but didn't. She really didn't want to be caught making out with John by their daughter. "I'm so glad you're here," she whispered after she broke the kiss.

"So am I."

They pulled apart as Maddie came hurrying back in with a tray full of cookies. John smiled, sitting forward as Maddie set them on the coffee-table in front of them. "You and mommy baked me chocolate chip cookies?"

"Uh-huh," she agreed bashfully.

Joss smiled as she sat forward too. "And guess who was a good girl and waited to have one until daddy came in?"

"Mommy?" John said with a smirk.

Maddie laughed loudly and Joss shoved his shoulder. "I was talking about the little sweet tooth our daughter has that she got from her father," Joss insisted.

"Oh that she got from me?—more like mommy had the chocolate stash," John countered as he snatched Maddie up and plopped her onto his lap as he handed Maddie a cookie, then mommy, and grabbed one for himself. "How about a toast?—to mommy and Maddie," John murmured as he held his cookie forward.

Joss smiled. "How about we toast to us being together once more," Joss suggested instead as she rested her cookie against his and Maddie realized what she was supposed to do, she giggled and tapped her cookie to mommy and daddy's before they all took a bite of the delicious cookies.

* * *

AN: Sadly there is only one more chapter left. Next chapter:

 **Ch 24: Love Me Like You Do**

Yes, I love that song so much. I had like twenty names for the next chapter but I settled on that one. Speaking of songs I have 'Play That Song' by Train on repeat right now ;D Thanks for reading!


	25. Ch 24: Love Me Like You Do

_**AN: Happy Halloween! I meant to post this sooner but things kind of got hectic for me. Bring Me to Life will get an update this week too, I promise :)  
**_

* * *

John and Joss sat together on the couch, alone after Maddie finally couldn't stay awake any longer. She fought tooth and nail but finally her tiny body gave in to the need for slumber. John carried her up to her bedroom and they put her to bed together—the first of many times to come—kissed her forehead before heading back downstairs to talk. And now that they were alone, about to talk about everything that needed to be said, the tears began.

John immediately noticed. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked quietly turning to face her more directly.

"John it was bad. She missed you so much this week," she whispered.

John rubbed her shoulders. "I know. I missed you both too. Skyping and Facetiming each other wasn't enough; it doesn't replace being with you and Maddie," he agreed, trying to console her.

"John, we need to figure this out now because she can't do this much longer," Joss said softly before grabbing his hand. "I can't take it much longer either."

"I know, Joss."

She nodded. "Good, her happiness means everything to me and I know it means everything to you. And we're good together. I know we still have lots to learn about each other but we got the basics. So I'm thinking that if you have to work in D.C. I'll quit my job so Maddie and I can move there," she blurted out her idea.

John paused. "I really hope you don't do that," he murmured.

Joss stiffened. "What?—why not?" she asked, confused and a little hurt.

"Because it would make things problematic since I already got a transfer to New York," he said and Joss froze.

"What did you say?"

"I already got a transfer here. It's effective immediately and my first day to the new field office here is next Monday, so I can finalize my move to New York. I didn't want to tell you that I planned on asking for a transfer because Control…well, Control enjoys controlling everything and I wasn't sure if she would grant me the transfer. And if she didn't then we would need to talk about the fact that I would be unemployed." he said and he knew he was rambling. "I talked to Harold and he has already helped find me and Shaw a place to live and…"

Joss cried in joy as she lunged at him and kissed him so hard. Finally, finally all this waiting was over. He sighed as he kissed her back. The rest of what he was going to say was effectively put on hold as they kissed and embraced. They kissed for several moments until their lungs screamed that they still needed oxygen to work.

She pulled back on a sigh as she rested her forehead against his, truly content for the first time since they were separated in Fort Lauderdale. Then the rest of what he said caught up with her. Joss pulled back and eyed him questioning, "Shaw?" she asked.

"Yea, Shaw was transferred right along with me. Ma'am didn't want to deal with her and seemingly no one wants to be her partner. Go figure!"

"Yea, I wonder why," Joss deadpanned. "Well this will make Maddie happy."

"Oh?"

"Maddie missed Sam too. She enjoyed her and has no clue that Shaw doesn't know how to act or talk to her. All she knows is that Sam is a funny lady," Joss explained with a watery smile. And to be fair she had gotten sort of used to Shaw herself. She might have bad manners and a short temper but she truly loved John like a brother and was fun to be around.

"That will make Shaw happy to know. She was missing Maddie herself but wouldn't admit to it. I had to bribe her with a steak to stay away until tomorrow so I could come see you and Maddie myself," he confessed with a grin.

"I'm glad," Joss agreed. She didn't mind seeing Shaw tomorrow but she wanted to catch up with John privately. "Can I ask something, John?"

"Of course," he assured her as he ran a hand through her hair, twirling some around his fingers.

"You said you asked Harold to help you and Shaw to find a place to live….what's wrong with you—not Shaw—living with me?" she asked. This was one of the things they needed to talk about too. It was good to know that John was moving to New York but Maddie wasn't going to be pleased with daddy not living with mommy and her.

John shifted uncomfortably, "Well I didn't want to assume anything since we might love each other and share a daughter but there is a lot left that we don't know about one another," he conceded. "You have to admit, Joss, we shared that incredible night together that resulted in our beautiful daughter, we shared stories and our bodies, but there is a lot left we don't know."

"I know that. I also know that what we shared in conversations during that one night and during the cruise isn't enough to really know one another but isn't it enough that we love each other and want to spend our lives together?" she wondered genuinely.

"Is it enough to live together?" he questioned. "I never lived with a woman before, Joss. Jessica and I never got to that stage in our relationship together. I ended it before it had a chance to go anywhere."

"I want you to live with me, John." she said softly, putting out all the cards. "I want to wake up in the morning with your arms around me. I want to go to bed much the same. I want the ability to make love to you whenever I want. I want to spend my life with you; we'll get to know each other as we go; all that matters is that we love each other."

"I want that too, Joss. I love you and Maddie."

She smiled as she pressed a kiss to his lips. "Then live with me," she murmured against his lips before kissing them again. "Please, John."

"Yes," he sighed and Joss moaned in happiness as she kissed him passionately. He pulled her close as he kissed her back with equal intensity.

The kiss didn't end as he pulled her even closer to his body as his tongue swept past her lips and slid along hers. Before Joss knew it; she was on her back with John on top of her on the couch as they kissed and hands roamed freely over their bodies. Joss dragged his simple t-shirt up and dragged her nails across his warm skin, tracing his spine while John's hands palmed her breasts through her knit top.

John ended the kiss as he pulled back a little to lick his lips. "We should move this to your bedroom so no little eyes can see," he whispered before kissing her chin.

She shook her head before correcting him, "Our bedroom."

John grinned down at her and she felt like he slugged her with the potent effect his smile had on her. "Our bedroom," he rectified before standing up and held out a hand to her which she took a little miffed that he stopped his all-consuming kiss. John's kisses made her toes curl, her sex ache, and her stomach flutter.

He led her up the stairs and they took a small detour to Maddie's bedroom to check in on sleeping beauty to find she was out like a light. They closed her door and Joss pulled John towards their bedroom. She was going to drag John to _Bed Bath and Beyond_ so they could get little things to make it more their own rather than hers.

John closed the door behind them and they stared at each other as they slowly undressed. Their eyes were watchful of what the other did but there was no urgency this time to their lovemaking. They took their time and she stood in her bra and panties while John stood in simple charcoal gray boxer-briefs.

"You should be their model," she moaned as she took a slow and long gander at John. The underwear sat on him like perfection. His growing erection pressed the front of the underwear up; John looked downright sinful in them.

"I could say the same thing about you Joss," he murmured quietly as he eyed the pink bra and matching panties she wore.

"I guess the sexy lingerie I purchased will have to wait until tomorrow," she sighed as she stepped forward wrapping her arms around his neck.

He cocked a brow up in question. "Lingerie?" he asked shortly as he teased his hands up and down her sides refusing to touch her breasts or butt.

She nodded as she smiled. "Yea; Maddie wanted some primping for daddy's homecoming but so did mommy," she purred.

He slid his hands from her hips to wrap around her to undo her bra and it fell uselessly to the floor. Her nipples were drawn and hard. They were waiting patiently for his touch, for his mouth. But it didn't come; he ignored them as he let his hands resume their soft butterfly touch to her ribcage and then came to a rest hotly on her hips. He let one hand slip down from her hip tracing the elastic before sliding down and pressing a hand against her mound through the dainty panties. "Are they crotchless?" he asked feeling his cock stiffen further as he tormented not only her with this line of questioning but himself.

"Maybe," she replied huskily as her hips jerked forward and she started to massage his shoulder blades.

"Are they red?" he inquired. Joss moaned as he rubbed her devilishly as he fingered her through her panties and answering his questions took a backseat for a moment. "Answer the question, Joss," he said as his hand ceased its frustrating yet amazing touch.

"No." she bit out and was rewarded when his hand resumed its wicked movement that made her panties feel uncomfortably wet.

"White then?"

"Do you want white?" she answered his question with her own as she bit her lip to keep from cursing because his touch through her panties wasn't enough.

John chuckled, "Oh nice try: Detective Carter, answering my question with a question, but I'm in charge of this interrogation," he purred as he scooped her up and plopped her onto the bed. He loomed over her and smiled down at her. "Answer the question, Joss."

"Or what?" she asked, her feisty side speaking up.

"There will be consequences," he said as his fingers toyed with the elastic of her panties.

"What consequences?—as I see it I have you right where I want you." she said with eyes on his underwear and saw the bulge had grown at least a size bigger since they got in here. She smugly looked him in the eye.

John grinned as he slowly drew her underwear down before removing them completely and flung them off the bed. "Where would be the fun in telling you?" he murmured wickedly. "So Joss, what color is the lingerie?" he asked as he leaned over her and nibbled along her jawline. She clawed his shoulders trying to draw him down for a kiss.

"Not telling." she responded as she managed to catch his mouth with hers. He sighed into the kiss and she let her hands skim down his back and attempt to push his underwear down but he reached down and stopped her wandering hands and then pinned them to the bed.

He broke the kiss to press a warm open-mouthed kiss to her chin, then sternum, bypassing her breasts to press another soft kiss to her belly letting her hands go and then to the patch of hair between her legs but not where she needed him most.

"Is it blue?" he asked with breath heavy between her legs.

Joss clenched her teeth to keep from begging because she squirmed as his breath washed over her; so close yet not close enough. She clutched the bed-sheet in her hands.

Joss moaned as he licked her teasingly. "John," she groaned, desperate for more. She quivered as he stayed there and didn't do anything besides that one teasing lick. "Oh god, this isn't consequences…this is torture," she moaned.

He chuckled. "What color, my love?"

"Don't you want to be surprised?" she gasped as his tongue playfully took another swipe at her. She crossed her legs over his back and lifted her hips a little.

"I just want to know the color. I know you'll be breathtaking in it no matter what," he purred gripping her hip to steady her with one hand, and the other wandered up and pinched her nipple. "Please, Joss, I really want to suck you but I can't until I get my answer."

"It is black sheer," she moaned, giving in, and then cried out as he rewarded her answer with his mouth latching onto her quickly and sucking softly.

He moaned as he sucked on her, letting his hand slide from her breast to slip between her legs and he slid a finger into her to see just how ready she was. Playing with her only worked long enough to keep from hurting her. He needed to be inside her as he was fully erect. John's throbbing cock was a little jealous of his fingers that were buried deep inside her after adding a second finger. He felt the way she clasped on his fingers and he groaned against her again imagining it around his dick. Joss was amazing.

Joss's back arched as she grabbed a fistful of his hair and her hips moved to the rhythm he set with his mouth. But the rhythm switched just as she matched it and she groaned in frustration. "John," she said unfulfilled as her sex ached with need. Her orgasm was there but not in reach.

John slid from between her legs and smiled as he removed his hand from deep inside her. "I would love to make you come again and again just like this but I've missed you and want you to climax around me. Squeeze me and drag me over the edge with you." he said unevenly as he grabbed the elastic of his underwear and pushed them down far enough to spring free. He positioned himself and pushed into her easily and they moaned in unison.

Joss wrapped her legs around his hips that restricted his movements but it didn't matter. She didn't need pounding strokes of where he pulled nearly out to only push back in deeply. She could come just like this where he was buried deep inside her and moved only minimally. He filled her so fully, stretched her wide because of his girth. She rocked her hips up and he hissed in pleasure as he leaned his head down and caught a nipple into his mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his mouth sucked at her breast and his hips pushed her down hard into the mattress, as they rocked together.

John stopped the rocking rhythm and began slowly swiveling his hips in slow circles, making sure his cock rubbed every sensitive part inside Joss. The movements were slow and slight but consistent. "Oh god, John," she cried lowly and he could feel her getting closer to her climax as she clenched around his harder. He sped up rotating his hips in time with her cries of ecstasy and then she burst because she moaned his name out loud as she came, clamping down on him hard.

John shuddered as he felt her spasms ripple over his cock as her orgasm rocked her. He pushed free of her arms and legs, grabbed her hips lifting her and knelt between her legs and fucked her. He thrust into her powerfully, deep, and fast. She gasped as he proceeded to pound into her, right into her spasms of the orgasm that was still rippling through her. He held her hips steady as he moved, making sure his strokes were felt throughout her entire body.

He was close, so damn close to his own orgasm that it wouldn't take long. Joss's walls clamped down on him and he moaned as he managed a couple more hard strokes inside her before he came with a moan of her name, filling her with his warmth as she gripped him tight, lapping it up.

John withdrew from inside her and collapsed on the bed beside her, tugging her to him; both completely and thoroughly spent.

"I'm going to get used to this," she whispered after a long while as she played with his hand that wasn't wrapped around her, holding her close.

"What the sex?—eventually we'll move on from the honeymoon phase," he said regretfully.

She smiled against his chest. "We shall see about that, but I meant: being in your arms. I expect to wake up like this tomorrow morning," she replied.

He laughed. "And what are the consequences if you don't?" he asked playfully.

Joss looked up and smiled at him. "Where is the fun in telling you?" she responded and he grinned up at her before he leaned up to kiss her gently.

"I love you, Joss."

"I love you too, John," she responded before she laid her head back down onto his chest and they gently stroked each other's skin before they fell asleep together, just where they belonged.

* * *

AN: No way could this story not end with one last little sexy moment between John and Joss :D

Thank you Elaine for all your help with the cruise stuff since I never went on one, your suggestions were amazing so I could write this thing with some realism! And thank you for your support and friendship it means the world to me XOXO

And thanks to everyone that read this and to all that reviewed this from logged in and guest: a big thank you for taking the time to do so XOXOXOXOX.

Maybe you'll be seeing John, Joss, and Maddie (and Aunt Shaw and Mrs. Pickles too) again!


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